Alligator Man

Hey everyone. I am writing a story called Alligator Man on my iPod ( I am active in KaW) and have been needing some feedback. Feedback thread is here - viewtopic.php?f=12&t=118103

BEFORE IT STARTS:
There will be gaps of time in between posts for I'm sorry for stylistic issues. Also, it's not super gory but I added violence. I love some violence in every story. Don't forget, I TYPED THIS ON MY IPOD. THERE WILL BE SPELLING ERRORS. It is not in chapters, but in sections by the way. If you like the story, post on feedback! If not, post on feedback! Enjoy.

Alligator Man - Origins

I suppose that I'm supposed to introduce myself at this point. The only problem is that I don't say my name. Well I do, but only to a few people. I go by Swamp man, or otherwise known as the "Alligator Man".
I wasn't born with it, not at all. It was a bad situation, and I'm left to suffer for the rest of forever, probably in a stinky, old swamp.

A while ago, I was quietly sitting in my bed, another night of little sleep. My girlfriend's dad just died, and my college requires that you must spend research with professionals before you head into a field, so i was stressed out. I was 26, and had less interest in a research lab while my girlfriend was busy bawling herself to sleep. She said she's fine, but that's 100% bull.

Anyways, Jessie made Breakfast and I kissed her goodbye for the first day of research. The lab technicians gave me a tour, which was boring as hell, and I went home.

The days trudged on as I continued with research in my soon to be profession, Taxonomy. Lots of boring words to learn, FYI. While i was studying, I met with the professor, Dr. Charles Mary, who attempted DNA experiments to classify- well, boring things.

Charles was a nice man when I met him. He always smiled and chuckled at my stupid jokes, and knew a lot on the field. He always talked about some secret project too.

Jessie called one day, saying, "Please come home." I left early, and when I came home it was in a disaster, and Jessie sat in a corner. She had a mental breakdown, and I started to take her to a counselor.

Charles called one day while I was sitting at home smoking. I hopped in the car, and drove to go see him. He finally showed me what his secret project was after months of begging.

He took a principle of DNA and managed to combine multiple fragments from different animals. He then worked on a liquid form of the chemical that caused the change. He only needed two things.

The first, he said, was DNA from any animal. Charles told me to go and find my favorite animal at the Zoo, and talk to a certain Zoo keeper.

Turning something good into great, I took my girlfriend to the Zoo in an attempt to cheer her up.
"Jessie," I said, "What's your favorite animal?" she merely laughed and replied with mine, an alligator. As I left, there was a poll on "What's your favorite animal?" I also saw the keeper I was going to talk to, he was running the stand. I wrote down Alligator and left for home.

It was the weekend, and I chilled with Jessie and just chatted. Sure I worked out, but other than that I really did nothing. That was the last day I could say that.

Monday rolled around and I set for work. Jessie didn't feel good, so I talked about leaving early to Charles. He only chuckled and replied, "Have a glass. I'm making a new drink from the DNA technique."

I grabbed the glass, not thinking anything strange, and swallowed.

I woke up in a bed, merely stripped down. I heard voices, and they all chatted about "starting". That was the only time I was awake while they prepped or did something to me. A man rushed in the room and filled my IV, making me pass out again.

I woke up back at the office, in the same spot. It was three in the afternoon, and I wasn't sure if I slept the day and dreamed it all. I quickly got in my car, and did not feel good at all.

When I came home, there was a noise in the kitchen. I hit my head on the door frame while walking in, and realized I was taller.

And had a stomach. I probably gained four inches, and about 20 pounds. I looked at the rest of my body, seeming a bit chubbier and lengthy.

Running into the kitchen, Jessie had another breakdown, but fell asleep. Picking her up, and realizing it was much easier to pick her up, she and I went to bed.

When I woke up, i checked myself. Still taller and chubbier, i quickly headed to work early before Jessie got up. I headed up to Charles's office, wanting an answer.

Charles chuckled when I came into his office, and I glared. I asked a few questions, and he finally sighed. Dr. Mary handed me a vial, and said, "Try this instead. Maybe you'll lose weight. And go home, your fired."

Pissed off, and I smashed the vial with my fist and marched home. I sat in bed, and fell asleep again. Jessie wasn't at home when I fell asleep and i was worried.

Waking up around 1AM, I rolled over and saw Jessie. I headed to the bathroom, felling a bit sick.

I definitely was sicked. I lost the extra weight and probably gained another two inches. Thinking it was just my imagination, I tried to sleep again.

The next time I woke, my legs felt so funny. I couldn't tell if I had two or three, so I fell asleep again.

Jessie screamed the next time I woke up. She had another night, but after I assured her with a strange voice I wasn't some giant Crocodile or Alligator she went to sleep.

I woke up as the sunrise came up, and was completely normal. Jessie was still asleep, so I went to go make breakfast since I was fired from some strange job. I started to grab the eggs, and I got an idea.

I rung up Charles, and he answered. "So, how does it feel?" He asked, and I laughed. "Feel what?" He took a gasp, and mumbled before ending the call. I reached for the bacon, and started to cook on the frying pan. My stomach started to growl, and I fought a strange urge to eat the egg raw.

Jessie walked into the room, and sighed. She apologized for freaking out last night, and I gave her a kiss. She paused, and commented it was a bit cold. I rolled my eyes, and continued to make the eggs and bacon. I reached for a new egg to put on, when it started.

I ate the egg raw with the shell, and it tasted great. Jessie watched me, and merely asked, "Are you on something?"

"I don't know." I replied, and went back to bed. I took a nap for an hour, and Jessie woke me up. All i heard was breakfast, and got up again.

I felt really weak and cold at this point, and Jessie thought the raw egg gave me E. Coli or something crazy. She lead me in the kitchen, and let me eat the rest of breakfast. Jessie quickly called the doctor, and we headed over.

I puked twice in the car, and Jessie told me that she'd clean up while I went to the doctor. When we sat down in his office, he was grinning. The doctor told Jessie to go clean the car after she said what was wrong, and Jessie left.

The doctor told me that Dr. Mary had called him, and only Charles knew the cure. I grumbled, and puked again. The doctor proceeded to say, "You're rejecting the substance, and probably will die without it. I'll be back."

The doctor left, and Charles came in. He smiled, and held a small tube in his hands. Charles then rambled, "I thank you for helping me with the experiment, and give you the cure. I've already passed your papers for the assignment to your teacher."

I snatched the tube from his hand and chugged it down. It tasted fine, and i felt better. That was true, until my stomach started to twist. I clenched it and asked Dr. Mary what he did, only to be answered with another chuckle.

I woke up outside the city, in a swamp. I wasn't very awake, but I made my way out to an old cabin in the swamp. There was someone in the cabin, but they didn't seem to care.

I had a nightmare that night. I was running to Jessie, but every time I reached out my hand was green and scaly, like a snake.

After I woke, there was a gun in my face. The other person in the cabin asked, "What the hell are you?" I glanced around, and realized I had no clothes.

The man threw clothes at me, and I quickly put them on. He watched the entire time, and I was blushing. He repeated his question, and I sighed.

I explained my story, and he just sat in a rocking chair with his gun. "Name's James. You wanna stay, you do work in the swamp."

I accepted, at this point this was the only chance I had at a "normal" life. He showed me the way to his garden and merely said, "You help by taking care of my garden. Don't care what else ya do, just keep the garden in shape."

He left and I just sat there. I felt the stupid urge of eating raw meat again, and had problems focusing. The garden looked done for work for today, and I went looking for something to eat. I saw some Alligators in the water.

Then the pain happened again, and I collapsed to the floor. Instead of falling asleep or losing consciousness, I watched what happened. I started to grow very tall, and I felt a stump poking out of my shorts. I quickly pulled off my clothes seeing that and watched the process.

This hurt very bad, but I continued to grow. It felt like my spinal cord was ripped out of my back. I reached back with my hand, only to feel spiky things on my back. My hands were turning green, and I felt like I was missing a toe on each foot.

The stump felt longer, and reminded me of a tail. I couldn't focus after I had a major head ache, and my skull throbbed. It felt as though the skull was ripped out of my head and part was squished. My teeth ached, and I felt like I was beefed up. I felt my arm and it was scaly, and my nails acted like claws a bit. I still couldn't see, and was worried I would be blind. My eyes finally started to flutter open, and the world changed.

It was so bright, and I glanced around. I slipped into the water, and somehow knew how to swim as a freak of nature. The other alligators swam with me, and I really didn't pay attention much.

When the sun was between noon and sunset, I got out of the water. The next question, how do I turn back into a human.

I tried thinking key words, like Go human, forty-two, Banana, no more gator? Nothing worked, and I just thought about what I look like.

I felt like my spine was pushing in at that point, and that I was growing a toe. I couldn't focus because of the head, and after the pain was gone I was a person. A naked person in the middle of a swamp, not sketchy at all.

I found my clothes and trekked back to the garden. James was sitting in the garden, and watched as I came in. He smiled and motioned for me to sit down.

We quietly sat in the garden for a while before he spoke, and this time without an accent. "Charley got you, didn't he?" I looked up, and James sighed. "Well, can't let you get even like this. Come back here tomorrow, and we start training." I left quickly, still confused about the whole matter.

This night I didn't wake up or have a nightmare, so I felt great when I got up. I walked to the garden and James was sitting there. The sun wasn't out. I plopped on the ground, and James smirked. He explained his story.

Charles and James were best friends, and both were leading scientists in their field. They discovered a new technique and were intending to use the DNA from animals to save people with various illnesses.

Charles, however, wanted to make an army. James realized Charles's intention, and James stole all the research data. James ruined the data and fled the city.

James now saw that Charles rediscovered the technique, and was attempting to use it for the army. James then stated, "I can't stop him, I'm just a person. But you..."

I laughed at the thought. James only stared, and said, "You need to master your new skills. I can teach you a few fighting moves, only because I did learn from the best thanks to Charley. We learn now."

I then began a long process of training. Wake up, eat, water the garden, then practiced boxing against trees till noon. I'd eat again, and then practiced with James, and for the last few hours I'd focus on changing. I'd eat supper as an alligator, and then practice changing a few more times.

Now, when I say boxing with trees, this is what I had to do: I would keep punching a tree, or kicking. It was a pain to do, and probably the worst part of my day. The urges for eggs came most at this time of day.

After a while when I changed, I would go quicker and have less pain. One night, however, I gained a new ability.

James didn't like alligators, but slowly he would be more friendly with them and finally became friends with one. He would talk to the Alligator (and it replied, but he didn't know that, and the Gator didn't know what he said), and would watch me change a few times.

One night, when I was about to change back, my heart felt like it was being stabbed. I collapsed, and my legs started to change. They swelled, and started to shift. Most of the pain was there, but some was in my throat and my chest.

James rushed over and asked if I was okay. Instinctively, I replied with yes. But I actually said the word yes. I stood up, and could actually walk on two legs. My head throbbed, and I didn't understand what was going on.

I glanced down again, looking at myself. I looked like a hybrid of some sort, and James laughed. "Now you're ready. This was a theoretical state we thought of, me and Charley. Instead of having just two forms, you now have three." He made me go to sleep in this form though, and I was frustrated since I hadn't been a human for a few hours.

My dream was odd that night. I dreamed about Jessie, but this time she was running to me, and I tried to reach out to her, but she couldn't reach far enough.

I woke, in my new form and James wasn't in his bed. The sun hadn't rose yet, so I left for the garden, changing back into a person while I walked, alsp putting on clothes.

James sat quiet again, waiting in the garden. I asked if he was okay, and he handed me a letter.
It was to a Mr. Alligator and James.

I opened the letter, and it read,
To a Mr. (my name) and a Mr. James, I'm impressed you two found each other so quick. I'm sure by now James taught you some Martial Arts moves he learned while studying in Tibet. Our building is being guarded by the best, most who are masters FROM Tibet. You probably didn't understand your gift I gave to you, and never will Mr. Alligator. But I must go, as we are preparing to finish the experiment and apply the new serum that will work, instead of not affecting the subject. And that vial you smashed, alligator, contained a toxin that will kill you and me shortly. I, of course, took the antidote.
Charles Mary

James sat quietly, and sighed again. I asked how we would stop Charles. "He's bluffing," James replied, "It's most likely a serum that can't be made in large quantities. The toxin, however, is true. I've already gave you the antidote, during coffee one morning. I knew he would play dirty."

James then told me what we would do next: destroy the building. I asked if we could find Jessie first, because I was very worried about her.

James said get some sleep, and destroy the building first. We would find Jessie after that. I couldn't rest well that night, I had the same dream about Jessie.

The next day we headed into Miami, and James said the plan as we rode in a Taxi. I'm pretty sure he still had people in the city because that driver didn't seem to mind at all. As we approached the building, the driver pulled to the curb and let us out. James thanked him, and we headed to the nearby hotel, next door to Charles Mary's lab.

The plan was this: wait until night when Dr. Mary would be alone in his lab. I could go to the roof of the hotel and scale the building to the 20th floor while James would distract at the front desk. James had a friend coming in to help, so I wouldn't have to worry.

After I reached the 20th floor, I would smash the window to Charles's lab. After confronting him, I would plant the explosives which would be ready. I would take Charles and signal James, we would retreat to the house that I used to live in.

The sun set, and it was Nine o'clock. James left, and gave me the signal to go. I started to scale the building, and quickly reached the 15th floor. James's walkie-talkie was left on, and I could hear the argument in the lobby. I scaled the last five floors and made it to the lab, when I jumped through the glass window. I saw Charles, clapping.

The fight downstairs was raging, but I left my Walkie-talkie on also so James could hear me. Charles merely smiled and clapped.

"I'm impressed. Even though you had the toxin, and your body was rejecting the serum you've managed to get this far. I thought I would have scared you off, since James knew I hired the only person who could beat him to guard me." Charles explained further, "But now, he's got a friend and it's only a matter of time. Here, follow me." Charles went through a door, and I followed. We entered a room filled with chemicals. Remembering the explosives were already set, I approached Charles after hiding the explosives in the room.

"Hiding them? It's okay. I know you'll attempt to stop me, even if you stall.". Charles laughed, "So what's your plan?" He hit me in the gut, and pushed me back. "My serum is ready, all I need to do is distribute it. Ten subjects already passed."

Another door opened. One person walked in, and Charles chuckled again. "This is Number 7. The rest are spread out, throughout the world, doing jobs I asked. The serum, you see, is in this room. So please, come and get me." Charles's guard started to run at me, and I prepped.

I punched him quickly, and he responded with a kick. Another kick from me, and he lost balance. "You've forgot one thing Dr. Mary," I said, blocking a punch and hitting 7 with a hard knee to the rib.

"What's that?" He asked. I smashed 7 with a fist to the face, and he fell over. "To train your 'army'." I replied, and started towards Charles. I felt a paw on my shoulder and I turned.

7 apparently liked bears, and was now towering over me. He started to thrash at me, and i was barely managing to avoid him.

Charles asked, "Why not join me? James can't save you, and I've almost obtained an invisible army. I've got all the cards." I continued to fight, slowly wearing down 7.

Charles continued, "You can't win! Give up, and return to me. You tried to resist us, and you only made it outside into the swamp." I hit 7 in the head, making him dizzy yet again. I realized that, from Charles's comment, they didn't mean for me to leave the city and meet James.

"7! Get out, and I'll deal with Subject 0." The bear quickly quit fighting and left out the door. I turned to Charles.

I stared him down and mirrored his steps. Charles then started attacking me. He was vicious, and i could barely keep up. My walkie-talkie beeped, and James's voice could be heard. "Gator, get out! It's set to explode in-" Charles broke the Walkie-talkie with a swift kick and I fell to the floor.

"You're done." Charles laughed as he towered over me. I then started to chuckle, and finally transformed. Charles took a step back as I towered over him, and smirked. "Maybe not." I replied with a gruff voice, and lunged at him. I beat him to a pulp before I realized an instinct had kicked in, and he was almost dead.

Charles coughed, and smiled. "You... I didn't fail." He spat out as I put my leg over him. He would bled to death before I could get him help. "Hehe... I'm done. I give... you one last gift before... Before I go." He jabbed a needle into my foot and I recoiled.

"I'll make your life hell for ending mine......." Charles stopped talking and the timer on the bomb beeped.

James was sitting nearby as he watched the building for me to jump out. Then the bomb blew up, and James jumped in surprise. His friend whispered, "James, Charles is dead. The serum is gone. It's over." James started to cry as the police cars, firetrucks, and ambulances rushed to the scene.

"Look!" He exclaimed, as a little dot flew out from a second explosion, and the dot fell in the river. James glanced, and realized what happened. He quickly got in a taxi with his friend and sped off.

I fell into the river, and quickly reached the surface. My alligator skin withstood the explosion, but was black. I swam to the shore, and went under the bridge nearby. Shifting back, I got changed and climbed onto the road. James was in the nearby taxi, and we all met up in the taxi.

I woke up back at my old house, lying on the couch. I saw James sleeping in my bed, and I sighed. I woke James up, and we went back into the dining room. James's friend was there also, making breakfast.

"Listen, I think I know what was in the needle that he injected you with." James told me, and I was surprised because I hadn't told him about it. "Do you not remember the taxi ride? You look confused. Anyways, the needle. There was DNA in it. Jellyfish DNA, the one that can live forever. Charles said he'd make your life hell. You can't die now."

I stared at him, shocked at what James said, and he continued, "You're cells regenerate faster than you can kill them. Even if I shot you in the head, you'd regenerate. The weird thing, you'll keep your memories."

"What about Jessie..." I asked, trembling. James sighed, and answered, "My agents haven't found her yet." I swore to myself and quietly went back to bed, ready for a good night sleep.

James called me to come back out, and i trudged out. "You know we're just beginning. You have to take out all ten, no matter what." He told me.

I just glared, and told him, "I just killed a man, am probably going to get pressed charges about blowing up a building, and can't die apparently. Let me sleep in peace for a night." James smiled and nodded, so I finally went to sleep.

I woke up hearing sirens. James was standing over, and laughed. He mumbled something, and I heard go so I hopped out of bed. The police surrounded the house, stating something about how I ate myself? Gatorman blows up building and eats local resident. Blah blah blah, under arrest, come quietly. Might as well play it off. James already went out a back entrance they didn't know.

I put in the entrance in case of a fire, and Jessie thought I was paranoid. I changed into an actual alligator, and waltz outside. The police screamed, and started to shoot.

It was really dumb to change into an alligator, but I can't die, right? Well, bullets still hurt. Anyways, I made it into the sewers (one cop remarked alligators are now in Miami's sewers) and eventually wandered out of town. I returned to James's cabin, and found a note.

I've already located two of the ten changers that Charles Mary made. One is in Indonesia and the other is New Orleans. Since I'm pretty sure you can't get to Indonesia, I'll get him while you look for a girl named Samantha Lex. Her clients call her a tiger of a woman, so I'm pretty sure you can guess her animal. Get her on our side, and if all else fails then you know what to do. After your done, call me from the phone on the counter. You'll get to train in Tibet so you're prepared. It only gets harder from here, remember that.
-James

And that's where I started earlier in my story. So maybe it shouldn't be called suffering, but I mean hey, don't knock till you try it, i guess.

 

Alligator Man - Samantha Lex

I paused as I pulled the car over. New Orleans, huh? Big city, Cajun Food, fun times, and lots of girls to-

I paused, suprised at the thought. It must be another urge, just like the raw eggs. I pushed the thought away, still focused on Jessie. But she was out of the picture for a while, and I was sure these girls maybe new a few tricks.

I was first and foremost hungry. I went to a store and bought frozen food and eggs. When I left to get in my car, I glanced around. Placing the bags in the car, I sped off to a park and ate a few eggs with chicken.

Now I could focus on the mission. Samantha Lex, Tiger girl. What did she do was my first question, and I sighed. Why didn't James give me a hint or something? I heard a nearby announcer say somethig about a tiger show.

Knowing that was my new hint, I thanked karma for hearing my plee and I went over to the show to get a ticket. It looked like a very sketchy circus tent from the outside, but a sea of people were going in, so it must be entertaining, right?

The ringmaster threw a hoop in the air, and two tigers seemingly appeared in midair, going through the hoops.

"Welcome to the show!" The ringmaster stated, "My name's Samantha, the Tiger girl! Are you ready for a show?" She winked and I could have sworn her costume's cut line lowered. As the show progressed, I was mesmorized. At the finale, she picked an audience member to help in a disappearance act now.

I, of course, was picked. The only thing running through my head at the time was how awesome she was. As I was loaded onto the platform, she put a sheet over me with the tigers on both sides under the sheet. She got under also, and said, "Alakazam!"

I woke up in a hotel room, all alone. I scanned the room, and the two tigers were sitting in the corner furthest from me, watching intently.

Samantha Lex (who I refered to as Sam during the experience) came through the door with two plastic bags. She dropped them to the floor and her 'cats' came over for her to pet.

She stroked her cats, and then slowly pulled off her coat, revealing a sparkling dress. I remember doing a cat call, and she laughed.

"Oh big boy," She replied to the call, "You haven't seen what this kitty can do." I remember letting the Alligator instinct slip over again.

I woke up in the same room, around 2 A.M. I glanced to my left, seeing Samantha Lex. "Sam..." I called, and she rolled over. She mumbled some words, and we both went to sleep.

I woke up in a car, much later in the day. Sam had, excuse me, I meant Samantha had her arm all the way around my neck. She murmed, "Hey, you wanna be my big and strong papa tiger?"

I started to make a move, but she pushed me off. "Hold on, you've got some bite, and I like you. Let's not just make this a short deal. Marty, drive to the hideout." She turned to me and smiled, "I've got an offer."

The rest was a long and boring speech, as she talked about being special but alone. I pretended to care, but at this point my focus was keeping the Gator instinct of hoping in the bed at bay. I merely nodded at the end, and she smirked.

After a short ride, we reached an abandonded warehouse. It was so stereotypical of a villan, but I said nothing. Sam just led me to the center box. "A special friend gave me this. It takes your DNA and combines it with an animal to give you the ability to change into it. See, watch." She slowly shifted into a tiger, shredding her clothes, and growled a bit. I took a quick note, they most likely hadn't had their powers a while. She changed back, this time naked and behind a box.

She complained about how she couldn't morph with her clothes on and they would stay. There must have been a change behind a box, and Sam came out in a dress.

"The stuff he gave me turns anyone into a tiger unless they already got a serum shot. The two tigers I have are merely people who crossed me. I can control all tigers, mind you. This is one of the few batches he made. Are you ready?" I think the original person that has the animal genes inserted have a dominant gene that allows control over others, like an Alpha Male.

"Your friend was Charles Mary, right?" She was shocked by the question, and nodded her head. "He was a good man, but he ruined me."

"No!" She shouted, "He wouldn't do that! Never!" I shook my head in disgust, and Samantha screamed louder, "You're a liar! Charles wouldn't do that, he wouldn't betray anyone!" Samantha started to shift into a tiger again.

"He lied Sam! He played you, and now he's dead. He was going to kill you after you made him an army." Sam screamed back, "He wouldn't! He couldn't control them!" Her transformation complete, all she did was growl.

I glared her down, and charged at her. The tiger wins against a person, and she gashed my side hard. I only chuckled, and changed into the Hybrid form very quick while she lunged again.

I grabbed her half jump and threw her back. She quietly laid on the ground for a second before getting up. The fight became an endurance game as each side took more blows. Her two tigers came in and attempted to help, but both were recked by friendly fire and my tail.

She was scared at this point, and I was beat. Samantha charged one last time and I countered. After we both stopped, she collapsed from my final slash. I sighed, and tried to find a match. I quickly got Sam and her two tiger buddies in a pile outside the warehouse, and found a lighter. I lit the box with the serum on fire, and drug the 3 tigers outside.

No suspicion at all. Giant Lizard carries tigers out of warehouse, nothing to see. I dialed 911 on a nearby phone, and quickly left for the sewers.

I dialed up James on my phone, "Ready for a pick up." He retorted with some dumb comment, and hung up the phone. I changed into a full alligator and fell asleep.

As we rode the plane away from New Orleans, i asked James a few questions about his "friends". James answered all questions, and explained what I would do in Tibet.

He said there would be no tree boxing, but I would be required to be an alligator in the morning, a person in the afternoon, and a hybrid at night. It would be like the training sessions, but much more intense.

When we walked off the plane, I was expecting a car ride to the monastary where the monks lived. James, however, wanted to walk. My legs almost gave out before we got there. It was a quiet monastary, at the bottom of a valley where the sunrise and sunset could be watched.

The first day was rough. They took away my clothes snd gave me a robe. One of the stereotypical orange robes with a white belt. I felt degraded. I had to strip everytime I changed, only so they wouldn't have to pay for extra robes. It was embarassing standing naked infront of grown men.

The masters were very smart. I had three different masters for a day, and each taught a valuable lesson (except the toilet duty day). My skills were continued to be honed while James worked on finding Jessie. It was three months from when I started, and I had already beat two of my masters. The final was in the Hybrid form, and I hated the form to fight. It was too slow for the master I was up against, and I kept trying. The lessons got tougher and everything seemed abstract.

James had a link on Samantha Lex and her escape from prison, and left to go deal with her. I was very frustrated at this point. I yelled at the master for not being far after one spar and left for my room to meditate.

After sitting down in my room, I began to think of how he fought. This is was an eye opener, and O felt prepared for the next day.

The monks said if I would defeat all courses, then I would be ready. I practiced my other forms during the day, and the final test was about to start.

I hopped in the ring, transformmed into a Hybrid. The master quipped something about my skills, and I replied, "Come at me Bro." The challenge, like all others was a slow losing battle. Then i moved my plan in motion.

I quickly shifted into my human form and (while I was naked) managed to overpower and defeat the master and completely embarass him.

James had made it back, after working on the Lex Lead, and watched the last match. With the training complete, I was free to go.

Quickly packing up my things, I left the Monastary with James. We loaded onto a plane later, and chatted about our next move. James reported no finds on Jessie, but Samantha had disappeared after the warehouse burned down. Until last week, he stated, when people would disappear after meeting with her on a special 1 on 1 session.

"So i'm guessing you'll scheduel a session with her and myself, right?" I asked. James replied that she would immedietly recognize who I was. But she would do anything if someone suprised her in a session, and James had done just that. He then is making her to Alligator wrestle in the Everglades.

That's where I came in. I would be the alligator, and trap her. I'd attempt to lure her to our side, to try and get information out of her, and if worst came down kill her.

I woke up after the flight was over, only having a few days to go into the Everglades and prep. James and I headed to a swamp, and I transformed into a gator.

Waiting there was very boring. I tried tree boxing, but my knuckles were bleeding by the end of the day. I heard voices a few times, only dumb kids. One group I did scare off, managing to steal their food, but that's another story.

"So James..." Samantha's voice spoke as they approached the spot. James and her had a chat, and I heard a few kisses. "You want to just ditch this place and get a drink? I heard Miami's wine is the finest."

James replied no and lead her out into the clearing. I saw him, and watched the couple intently. "Just one?" She chuckled and asked, then cracked her knuckles. Sam jumped in and started to swim. I started to get close, when she transformed after saying, "Show time!"

I bit her and she scratched me, we were in a deadlock, until I drug her underwater. Apparently cats can't swim, and she lost conscious quick. I brought her above water, and we carried Samamtha Lex back into the cabin.

When she woke up, James stood behind her. It was a classic interogation scene, with one light, a table, and her tied to the chair. James first asked if she was working for anyone.

"Damn you, you're with Subject 0. I don't care if you want all the vials, mine are destroyed. You burned them down, remember?" I asked about the disappearances, and she replied, "How do you feed two tigers? Honestly, i just want to be left alone."

I prompted two choices to her: Either she could join my team and not have to face the harassment of the police constantly, or be in state.

"You killed Charles." She spat at me, and I sat her down. I explained my story, and what Charles was really planning to do. "You're a liar, and I'll feed you to my cats!" She screamed at me, and attempted to transform. I did a headbutt, and Samantha's head just slouched.

I asked James who we would get her over to the Penetentary, but he already had a plan. He would get her tigers if I put in a police station with a note. James signed the note and sealed it, then handed it to me. I put Samantha in a car, and sped off.

All around the city, there were posters with my face on it. I kept my head low and prayed not to be caught, only thinking of the mess I would make if they saw me.

After pulling up to the police station, I picked up Samantha and carried her in, recieving odd looks. I left her at the front desk (I further learned the man was on a lunch break) with the note and got out.

I drove away and called James. He told me to go back to New Orleans and wait in a hotel for him, he found a new lead on another person. I pulled into the hotel parking lot and left for the room.

I remember a door bell interuptting a meditation session, where I practiced subduing the Alligator instincts. However, I peeped at the door and there was a peculiarly dressed woman standing there. I opened the door and asked who she was. The last thing I remember a kiss before instinct kicked in.

I woke up strapped down to the bed, with the lady making a phone call. "Yeah," She stated, "We've got another freak. That's the third one, including Catwoman and that Indonesian guy. Hold on."

She walked over to me, and backhanded my face hard. "Who do you work for?" I replied no one, and recieed a more brutal punch. "Who is James, and why did he kill Charles Mary?" I smiled, and replied with some kinky phrase at just the right time. She gave up and picked up her phone, "He'll crack later. But for now..." The agent, i presume she was, continued to chat.

I saw only one chance to break from the ropes. I change into a hybrid. The agent barely turned before I had a hand at her throat and chest. "Stop the call." I ordered in a chilling voice. After the agent did so, I interogated her.

I learned five facts: the government is involved (just great), they planned to recreate Charles's idea, they had no vials of the forumla, the research to get the technique would take centuries at best, and finally that the government knew the location of seven "shifters" (only two were from the original ten).

I picked up the agent's phone only after I knocked her out. The recent call list was not restricted, and I called the last number. The voice on the other line began, "Anyways Wanda, you need to-"

"Wanda's busy. You better not come find me, or else I'll ruin you." I replied, and hung up.
Snapping the phone and changing back, I left the hotel.

James tried to call me during the interogation, but I didn't answer. My phone rang again as I was driving outside the city again.

He wanted to sit down and have a long chat, and I was to meet him at St. Louis. I sighed and asked where, and quickly headed towards St. Louis.

I eventually found him talking to his friends in a coffee shop. They glanced at me, then at James, and left. I plopped down and started to drink my milk and listen to James.

"Listen, I apologize. First off, Samantha escaped again. She is running a circus show, and has quite the number of customers. No disappearances on stage, but workers seem to drop like flies. Others are happy to volunteer, so she doesn't have to worry. We've got to stop her this time, and we'll keep her locked up.

"Second, that agent that hit you earlier is apart of a small cell of corrupt agents within the government, nicknamed Black Eye. The group is attempting a coup, and will stop at nothing to get their hands on DNA tech.

"Third, everything she said is true, except about Samantha. Your phone was on and I heard the whole 'conversation'. Lex was also close to being captured and moved to a top prison, but the one they have is an actual tiger. Go figure.

"Fourth, your training with the monks isn't over. I've schedueled you for many sessions, so we'll see if you can keep up. Also, I have news about your... Condition.

"Charles didn't insert any jellyfish DNA, but used a certain type of cancer cells that can't die. You would have regressed into a child after you turned 80 and repeated a cycle otherwise. The cells reproduce and live forever even when they are isolated, even if you're an alligator."

I paused, and thought again. The forever condition was a tough problem, and couldn't be solved at this time. My question was, and still is, will I lose myself?

"It's a lot to take in, I get it, but let's get Sam first." I nodded, and followed him to a Taxi that was waiting outside. We rode for a while, and then made it to some makeshift circus tents and an outside carnival.

I pushed through some lines before James and I reached the main tent. After buying tickets, we sat in the far back hoping that Samantha wouldn't recognize us. She didn't, and we watched the show. At the very end, she was offering a position to work with her Tigers.

Seeing my chance to get close, I stayed after with a few others to talk with Samantha Lex while James prepped our escape plan. She still did not recognize me, and I chatted for a while with her whilethe others left, seeing they had no chance surviving.

Once alone, however, I cut the crap. I asked about how many vials she still hid, and Samantha laughed. "i thought you were Mr. Alligator, but I wasn't for sure. And to answer your question before I kill you, zero. I know how to make them though!" She started to change at that moment, and I attacked.

Samantha couldn't handle the pressure and was forced to bring in her cats. While she did so, I shifted into a hybrid. The tigers lunged at me, but I could get out of the way and take chuncks out of them flying by with my hands. Samantha hit me while I wasn't paying attention, and she punctured my side.

I kicked her aside, and then there was a scream in the backround. Someone must have come in the tent, and now was going to go call the police. More people started to come in, and Samantha also realized this, and she attacked viciously.

We took swings at each other, and I was slowly getting the advantage. In a lunge, Sam didn't pay good attention and missed. I finally did a body slam into her ribs, and she laid still.

There was a lot of chatter, and I glanced for an exit. Not seeing one, I ran straight. People screamed and jumped out of the way, and I barely escaped the tent. Where ever I went, people squeeled. I evetually found a sewer hole and entered, and snuck out of the city.

James must have known what I would do, and he found me as I exitted the sewer as a person. He also came over with towels because of my side, which I hadn't noticed until now. There was a giant slash below my ribs and probably should have killed me by now.

I woke up a few days later inside a hotel, feeling much better. I looked at my side, and realized that the giant slash was gone, but the skin hadn't grown all back. There were little patches of muscle, and I was about to touch one when James slapped my hand.

"You should watch this." James told me, and I sat up and listened to the T.V.

"...Lex was found dead in a circus tent, wounds appear to be a struggle with some sort of animal, presumed one of her tigers. Eyewitness accounts however, describe a different story." The TV changed view from a news room to outside the tent, with the camera focused on a man.

"Here's how it happened, my friend screamed when she went to go check on Samantha, and found a tiger and a gator or a croccidile fighting. Everyone rushed in the tent, and sure enough they were in the tent, fighting. It was messed up, but the tiger lost the fight, and the other one ran. But the tiger transformed back into Samantha, and we tried to help."

The TV went back to the news room, "The police are investigating, and similar claims have prompted an FBI team to also investigate. In other news..."

I looked at James, and he motioned to the TV. I glanced back, only this time he went to the DVR and a recorded news cast.

"... The statement 'We are not alone' may not be so false after all folks. Upon an autopsy done on Samantha Lex to describe the cause of death, they found the marks on her body to be that of an Alligator. Witnesses, who number over 50, to the murder claimed she was a tiger before dying.

"The FBI are revealing they have strong evidence of another race of humans that live among us, called 'Shifters'. The FBI also said, '...to presume all shifters hostile, and that shifters can change you as well.' Governments from around the world are demanding DNA tests to find any shifters, and those who resist will be executed.

"Shifter numbers are low, presumed one in a thousand. And- hold on, we have a video of a person who knows a shifter right now." The screen changes from the news room to a dark room where the person's face and body is blacked out.

The voice was distorted on both ends of the conversation. "So you know a shifter?" "Yes." "Did they ever attempt to change you?" "No." "Why?" "Because he's my friend. And after he ran away from becoming a shifter, I wanted to make this public." "How do you know he was a shifter?" "I saw him shift." "When?" "When he left, he flew away. He wanted to tell me why he had to leave." "So not all shifters are evil?" "No, that's a cruel stereotype." "But they aren't people. Do you think shifters are aliens?" "They are very much people. Even if they're aliens, I think that we should respect them. Probably more considering aliens usually have a huge race and when you attack one you attack all." "What if shifters are just products of evolution?" "We would have seen them by now by their parents." "Why?" "I would take my child to a doctor if they changed into an animal, would you?" "How many shifters do you think their are?" "I don't know." "Do you think all shifters should be executed or spared, and how do you feel about DNA testing?" "DNA testing is useless, considering they can just change into an animal and avoid being tested, or kill anybody who comes to take them away. Execution is completely wrong too. Why kill people because they are different?" "But one killed Samantha Lex, and Lex fed people to her tigers." "So they are having a power struggle, or maybe the one was fightin FOR people and not against. How can we tell what they were thinking at the time?" "What if the power struggle swallows all of humanity?" "It won't. We have a predicted 1:1000 ratio of people to shifters." "And if your alien theory is true and they have an armada just waiting for us?" "I guess we'll find out." "How do you think the news of shifters will affect humanity?" "I think people will pick sides, for or against the shifters, and the world will be in world war three." "That's a little grim, don't you think?" "The holocaust killed millions of Jews and sparked WWII, so why won't another genocide spark WWIII?" "Genocide only refers to killing a group of people, not aliens." "Shifters aren't aliens. They're living, breathing humans." "So you're with them?" "Yes. One hundred percent. Are you?" The news cast shifted back to the anchor man and woman.

"Debates are all around the world on the alien topic. For the latest news, please..." James flipped off the TV. I was fuming, but listened to James talk.

"Alright. Here's the plan:" James explained,"You're going to go and train. The new person lead was a dead end, and the Indonesia shifter was killed a few weeks ago. Two down, eight to go. No news on Jessie, but don't give up yet."

We both got up, and headed on our way to go to the airport. The plane was comfortable, and I was able to sleep for a while without being interuppted.

 

Alligator Man - Chris Allen

I started to train the day I got to the monistary. I would spend days in forms this time, and sessions were more than ten hours sometimes. It frustrated me very much, and some of the monks did not want a "shifter" in the monistary.

My instincts did kick in a lot, and the monks had to make up a private class for me, just to deal with the problems. Some urges, like the eggs were easy to control. Others, like eating people, were very hard at points. A master or two may have been risked.

After months, I finally started to win matches and get good remarks for my sessions. James hadn't sent any letters or stopped by to check up, and I was very worried.

One day, a visitor was at the gate. He told the master that all monks needed to come to his van for DNA tests, and for a team to search the building. The master agreed, but only if he could gather everyone first.

I, of course, should not have a DNA test. The master knew this, through James, and quickly pulled me to the back. He told me to keep running until I reached the mountain pass. I was instructed to go find their hideout and wait for James.

As I hurried out, I heard voices and gunshots. There was a voice that shouted, "One escaped!" But I didn't worry at that point, and kept running. After a long time the sun started to set, and I finally found the hideout.

There was a phone, and it constantly rung all the time. At one point I broke a phone while waiting, but the place had three. James walked in after a week (or at least after I lost count). I didn't know it was him at the time, and when he came into my room I placed him in a headlock.

"Impressive. But not good enough." James laughed as he said that, but he quickly flipped me on my back. He pulled me up, and brushed some dust off of me. James and I left the hideout, and walked for what seemed like forever.

"What happened?" I asked. James told a story how the monks killed the agents, and fled the monistary. It was on the news, and one agent managed to take a picture of my backside, so it was only a matter of time. Long, but they would find me in the end.

"Our next move is...?" I asked, and James answered, "We're going to Canada. With Samantha Lex dead and Li Winters in custody, only nine original shifters, counting yourself, remain. The next's name is Chris Allen, and he's doing a rodeo at Vancover... In winter. Why? I don't know."

I can't remember the next question, but James stopped talking and the rest of the trip is a blur. We finally made it back into an airport, and somehow avoided agents long enough to go to Vancover.

This was one of my favorite cities, only because it was winter at the time. I used to play hockey and would ice skate during winter. Seeing the chance, I told James that I needed to go ice skate before taking down Otto. James slapped me, and I only smiled and repeated my earlier statement.

There was a girl when I was ice skating, and she was beautiful. I remember meeting her and having a chat. She seemed to be everything I wanted: smart, funny, beautiful, and kind. Then instinct kicked in, even after that classes with the monks, and lust was my key trait at that time.

I woke up in a hotel room, next to the woman I met ice skating. I quietly rolled out of bed, and left a note on the bed that said I couldn't be in a relationship, and I wish the best after a wonderful night. Her name was April, and I remember breaking her heart.

I rung up James right after, and he picked me up. He chewed me out in the car, only to get pulled over by a police car. James hadn't been registered into a DNA database yet ( the stolen car's actual owner) and was long overdue for a few other fees.

The police wanted to check my I.D, but James sped off. The police shot at us, and realizing they knew the liscence plate and possibly had a pitcure, we ditched the car and started to walk around, trying to find a winter rodeo. We came across it rather easily, just follow the trail of cowboys walking around.

"So what's this guy like?" I asked, and James sighed. He said Chris was 6'5" and built like a bull. Chris weighed in at over 300, but never rode anything in a rodeo. He did all the managment for his rodeos, but never showed up for ride recently, ever since a new bull showed up and could kick anyone off within five seconds.

"So he's a shifter, and shifts into a bull. Another interesting thing, he made no contact with Charles for weeks before the explosion, so Chris may not work for Charles anymore." James explained, "We're going to see if he wants to help further our cause."

We walked around the exposition building, and finally sat down in the main arena. They had bull rides all day, and if you ask me, bull riding is a waste of time and hurts animals. There was a ten thousand dollar reward if someone could ride the 'Lightning' for more than ten seconds, plus an inside talk with Chris Allen.

I signed up, and got behind a very long line. James was a few behind me, but I couldn't chat with him because I would lose my spot. So I chatted with the guy in front of me, who came from New Mexico for a try at "Thunder". He was a professional bull ride, which I almost laughed because it was such a waste, and was offered two hundred thousand if he would stay on the bull for fifteen seconds. I wish I could have seen his performance, but I was behind a screen when i was the next person.

"Fancy meeting you here." A familiar voice called. It was April, and she continued, "Thought you couldn't 'keep' a relationship, want to find out?" The instinct kept fighting for control, and I barely managed to resist the sex urge.

"We'll find out, tough guy." April told me, and lead me through the door to a gate with a bull. She got me set up, and I hopped on. The bull was going crazy, but the urge fought very hard this time.

The next I remember was looking at the clock when it ticked 13.8 seconds. "Thunder" had thrown me off, and the bull was raging at this point. They tranquilized it, and April helped me up. She kissed me, and instinct took over.

I was in Chris's office next moment. Chris hadn't come in yet, but I wasn't sure. After a while, Chris slammed the door open. "How did you do that?" He asked and I replied, "By the rules."

"Bull. I fel... found claw marks on Thunder. How did you get past the inspector April?" I told him I had no idea what he was talking about. "I won't give you ten thousand until you explain yourself right now."

I sighed, and asked a question, "How's Charles Mary?" "How do you know Charles?" He looked pissed, and I merely smiled back. Chris transformed into a bull, and chared at me. I barely avoided a collision, and April ran through the door.

She paused for a second, and then transformed into a cow and charged at me with Chris. I can't remember how, but I managed to get onto of Chris and make it through the door. I found James, and we slipped out. Chris, however, was smart about things.

The next day we were followed by a few people while it snowed, and we started to get suspicious. James and I made it to a hotel before they could see us, and got a room. I explained to James what happened in the office and bull ride, and he paused.

"The claw thing I don't get either. But if he got mad at the name Charles Mary, then we've got someone on our side. The problem is convincing him that we aren't with Charles. My question is April, though. What are the chances of meeting her while you ice skated? How does she fit into the whole plan?"

I told him that I had no idea, and wanted sleep. I quickly hopped in the hotel bed, and shut my eyes. Next time when I woke up was to a scream. I glanced around and saw a maid run out of the room, with James just waking up. I looked at myself, and quickly got out of bed.

I had shfted in my sleep, and was an Alligator hybrid. More people came to investigate before I changed back, and were calling the police. I heard sirens off in the distance, and James just realized what had happened. I hurried out of the room, and ran as fast as possible. I pulled the fire alarm and more comotion consumed the building. I heard curses as I escaped the building, and into the streets.

Cars attempted to run me over and others stopped in traffic, I was confused. At that point, there was a sewer entrance and I quickly escaped. Before I say anymore, I hate going into sewers. A: they smell and B: it's a cruel stereotype when I'm an alligator.

I sat low for a few days, forcing myself to steal from stands near sewers to get food to eat. James and I regrouped at the rodeo, only because I had my ticket left and I had no way of contacting him so I figured he would go.

I forced myself to go in a cowboy outfit only because I had no other clothing options. We sat in our seats, and the bull bucking began. Halfway through the show, they offered one hundred thousand dollars and an offer from Chris Allen to join their touring rodep if some could ride Thunder for a minute. James told me not to, but I couldn't resist.

When I got up to the gate, April was there again and gasped. "How's Charles?" I asked, and April stared. "Go to the side room." She ordered me, and I did so. After a while, April came in the room. She said, "Charles is dead, but I thought you were against him." Realizing she was with Charles, I replied, "I'm undercover. I couldn't risk any traitor to come and kill me." "But you killed Samantha!" "Samantha turned." April cursed and got a bit closer as I said that. We chatted more, and she revealed a key secret: April was going to kill Chris when she had the formula. Before I could ask another question, Chris barged in.

"April I-" He paused, seeing me in the room, then he growled, "I thought you were gone..." "Chris! He's with Charles Mary, and he's going to kill you! He told me himself!" April squealed, and ran to him.

Chris changed into a bull, and started to charge me. I barely dodged Chris's attack, and attempted to kick him in his side. Having no affect, I made an attempt for the door. April changed too, and I was stuck in between a bull and a cow. I tried several times for the door, but Chris kept my attention at him. April barely missed me when she charged, and I saw an exit.

I got out with James, and went to yet another hotel. This time we made sure the door was locked and blinds closed before we went to sleep. "James," I told him, "She wants to KILL Chris. And when she told him my lie about working with Charles, Chris tried to charge me."

"So," James added, "Chris is against Mary but April is for. April wants the formula and to get Chris out ofthe picture. Chris thinks that we're bad and April's good. You also change in your sleep now, just great. Anything else you want to add?" I shook my head no, and Chris sighed and turned on the TV.

"...In other news, Canada has a strange visitor. Local Vancover residents reported an Alligator-Man creature in a hotel earlier this week. Here's the maid who first saw the shifter." The TV went to a maid with a hotel in a backround, "I was going to clean their room but I opened the door and saw the... that THING just sitting there. I screamed and ran from the room, hiding downstairs before the fire alarm rung." It shifted back to the news room, "This 'Alligator-Man', assumed a shifter, is on the run, being charged with the possible murder of Samantha Lex, another shifter. Samantha was found with alligator marks on her sides after a battle where she was apparently a Tiger. Samantha 'changed' back into a person after she died in the battle. The United States is offering one million U.S. Dollars in any useful evidence that aids in the capture of Alligator-Man. Shifter debats are occuring all over, and our stations asks that..." I tuned out to the noises somewhere around those words, and went to sleep.

I had a nightmare about Jessie. Everytime I got close to her, she would change into April or Samantha Lex. I woke up four times that night, and each was worse than the previous.

James was already good to go that morning, but I was havig trouble with my two hours of sleep that night. Eventually, i mustered enough strength to go to the car James magically had that morning. I kept asking where he got it, but James wouldn't budge.

After the fiasco at the rodeo, James wanted to avoid the place for a while. The rodeo also wanted to avoid us, deciding that they should go back to their main ranch in Texas to train.

James and I started the drive down south, but met trouble at the border. The guard told us that all people crossing the border would require a DNA test, even if they've already recieved their clearance card.

James tried to fib how I was alergic to one of the tools needed for the test, and the guard ordered him to exit the car and start the test. James sped the car up, and attempted a get away. The border police trailed us, and we were forced into a river and jumped out. I jumped off, holding James and transforming into a Hybrid so I would take the damage.

The next thing I remember is being on shore with James next to me. He was laughing, and I asked hom why he laughed. "Well," He replied, "I'm suprised you took a hole through your heart." He pointed at my chest, revealing muscle patches like my wounds from the fight with Samantha.

We got up at that point, and tried to figure a way out. We eventually made our way to a camp site, and found the fastest way to Seattle. James had a friend, which I also asked how he had so many friends, that we could stay with for a day before flying to Texas.

We made it to the house, and sat quietly in our room. "James, do you know where Jessie is?" I asked. He answered, "No, but she won't know if you go out for a while and have some fun."

I agreed relunctantly, and the two of us went out for a drink. There were some women at the bar, and we went over for a chat. One was very fine, and I remember asking her something stupid.

An urge came out at that time, and when I regained control hours later I was in someone's house with five other fine women and James. "Well look at the time!" I said, and drug James out of the house. We went to sleep at the friend's house, and left on the plane that morning.

While riding on the plane, the news mentioned about someone sneaking across the Canadian/American border with a possible shifter, and I zoned out. James was tapping me to get up, the plane had just landed i Houston.

It was so hot when we left the airport, I was dizzy from the heat. James found a hotel, and I followed him. I counted eight police cars from the airport to the hotel, all drove very slow and kept asking for our blue card.

There was no law for it yet, but many police officers asked for them anyways. I replied to each one that he couldn't do that, and the car would quickly drive away. We got to the hotel, and I was exausted. James said something about investigating their ranch, but I went to sleep.

I woke up when James was sleeping in my bed. I checked the time, it was midnight. I wrote a note on my bed explaining I would go to this ranch and check it out.

After walking for a few hours to the ranch outside the city, I tried to find an entrance and couldn't see anything but fences. There were lights on at the main house, but it was too quiet for Chris. I hopped over the fence, and started toward the house. I heard a noise, but it was in the pasture. "Shi-" I began, before someone knocked me out.

The room I regained conscious in was dark. I was tied down, and couldn't move. I could have broke out that point, but I decided to see where this went. A light went on, and April walked. "Still crazy for me?" She asked. I replied, "Still want to kill Chris?"

April bit her lip, and said she would bring in Chris right now if I didn't tell why I was here. I told her that if she wanted to, she would have outside the door. She walked out, and in five minutes brought Chris into the room.

"Why are you on my ranch?" He asked, and I only smiled. He asked more pointless questions, and I never replied to one. Chris grabbed my neck, and ordered me, "Tell me what the hell you're doing here!" April was getting worried at this point, afraid I would say her plan. "Well Chris," I answered, "I'm here for my ten thousand. I rode Thunder, or should I say you, for 13.8 seconds."

Chris stopped to listen as I kept talking, "That's right. You're a shifter, one of the ten. But you left Charles Mary for a better life, like me. However, you know the formula because you're one of the ten and someone else wants the forumla." I was about to say April, but she started to yell at me.

"You're a liar! You still work with Mary, you said so yourself!" She shifted, but I shifted into an alligator faster. Chris left the room, very confused, and April charged at me.

She missed, but my tail couldn't hit hard enough to harm her. We continued the pattern for a while, until April was tired. I laughed as an alligator, then I bursted through the door. I started to search for Chris, but I could hear April behind me. I hurried out the door, and somehow lost April in the house. I made it back into the hotel without being noticed, and changed back into a person and slept.

I woke up, and looked around the room. James also left a note, saying that he also went to investigate the ranch and would be back later today. I sat in the bed, thinking of what I could do in Houston. I figured I could just walk around for a bit. I remember seeing someone who looked a lot like Jessie, and we started to talk before instinct kicked in.

The next thing I remember is being slapped in the face, and the girl leaving the table. Realizing that it could get worse, I left for the hotel. I came back late in the day, and sat down to meditate until James would arrive. The phone started to ring, and I picked it up.

"Hey," James's voice said, "I'm stuck inside these people's house. They don't know it, but security is definetly getting tough to breach. Can you come here and help me?" There was a noise and a click, so I assumed that someone had come in that room.

I left for the ranch right away, but another police car stopped me. "Where's your card?" He asked, and I told him that it was against my rights to do so. "I don't care, now show me." He ordered, and I replied no. He tried to get close to me, but I started to run away. The cop ordered halt, and attempted to shoot me. With my luck, he missed and was not smart so I got out of the way.

I made it outside the ranch, and was suprised. They added barb wire and guards since the last time I was there. I climbed over the barb wire, and cut myself in a lot of places. It was painful, but I knew it would heal. I shifted into an alligator after I took off my clothes, and made it to the door without being noticed. I chaged back into a person and changed, then entered the house. Lucky for me, Chris and April weren't at the front door, and I explored. I eventually wandered into the work room where Chris did managment.

There was a computer and a phone, and I glanced around the room. Seeing no sign of James, I sat down on a chair, and started to peep around his computer. It wasn't locked, and was filled with documents on sales and boring things. I peeped around in his email, and found conversations with Charles Mary.

Most were arguments and threats, but one thread was suprising. Charles told Chris that there was an inside agent, and when Chris wouldn't be paying attention he would die. I exited out of the computer quick, and stood up.

"Some interesting things, right?" April's voice broke the stillness in the house. I looked up, and she was in the doorway. "You can't leave. Chris is already suspicious, and found that James fellow. They're talking right now, and he's probably coming after me. But you, the great 'Alligator Man' can be framed for the murder of three people." She walked towards me, and I went into a stance. "Impressive," April told me, "They said you knew a few tricks. I need that formula, and Chris knows it. The second he spills the beans I kill him. You're going to stay put while I go finish this James character."

"And if I don't want to?" I asked, and April smiled. "I was hoping you'd say that." April changed, and I shifted into an Alligator Man. She charged, crashing into the wall. I ran outside and April followed. I dodged most of her attacks, having all the advantages.

Chris Allen and James came outside through a door on the second floor. "April!" Chris yelled, "Stop! It's okay, they're with us!" James whispered into his ear, and Chris took a step back.

April made one last charge. I took a step to the side, and held my hand out. Four slashes followed my hands, and April fell over. She shifted back, and laughed. "So you think you've won? No, fool. You've lost." Somewhere in the house, a bell went off. An explosion engulfed the house.

We were in the hotel after that. Chris had shifted at the last moment and protected James with himself, but now Chris has huge burns on his back. James was out looking for burn damage, and I glanced out the window.

"So what now?" Chris asked, and I sighed. "Let's get some sleep first." I fell asleep. I had a nightmare that night again, and this one was different. I was fighting April and Samantha, and the two lunged for me. I slashed both of their sides, but they wouldn't die. All they did was laugh.

I woke to James swearing. I opened my eyes, and saw the news. "Last night, an explosion rocked Houston. The house in the ranch that belongs to Chris Allen exploded last night. It's suspected that nitro was used in the bomb. Allen is missing, and his girlfriend was found dead in the pasutre, naked. Alligator marks cover her body, and it's assumed that Alligator Man has murdered her and Chris Allen. DNA tests came back and revealed the girlfriend, nickednamed April, to be a shifter herself. This explosion can be linked to the explosion in Miami where Dr. Charles Mary was assumed killed. There were emails sent between Allen and Mary. 'Alligator Man' is assumed to have also killed Mary, bringing the total up to four murders. The United States has brought the bounty for evidence to two million, and the capture worth fourty million. Here's Washington D.C. with their new Shifter policy." The TV shifts to a lawn with the presidental stand. A man stands on the podium. "The United States will not require DNA testing. Any officer that asks for a DNA card does not have the right to do so. Shifters will not be discriminated. As to the so-called Alligator Man, he is wanted for MURDER, not being a shifter. Wether or not these are aliens, the shifters we've discovered have been loyal Americans, and we intend to keep it that way." The scene goes back to a news room. "Alligator Man is being charged with the murders of Samantha Lex, Charles Mary, Chris Allen, and April. He is also charged with resisting arrest on multiple occasions, stealing, auto theft, and attempted murder of Li Winters."

Chris laughed, "I guess I'm a dead man." I frowned, and turned to James. I asked what the plan was, and he replied with me going to the monistary with Chris while James looked for the next shifter.

James left the room, and I fell back in bed. I though about number seven, and asked Chris who he was. Chris sighed. "Listen, if you want to ask questions to me, I get to ask you questions first." He asked about how I had been mixed up in everything, and why I killed Samantha Lex.

I told him my side of the story, and Chris sighed. "Sam was so nice, I wish I could have been there to woo her on our side." I started to ask my questions to him, about number seven, if he knew any others, and why he didn't tell April the formula.

Chris answered number seven was Charles's lap dog until Charles died. He didn't remember anyone besides Sam and 7. Chris also said he didn't tell the formula because of an email Charles sent him.

I hadn't told Chris about my immortality, hoping that he didn't know. The quiet was interuppted by James walked in. "Here's some sleep pills," James said, throwing a box at me, "And I'll apply the burn stuff to you Chris." The two chatted, but I took my pills and fell asleep.

 

Alligator Man - Patrick Denim

The plane was one of the worst planes this time, and I was worried that it would stop working and crash. Fortunetly, it did not and we made it to the airport. Chris was very off balanced after the ride, but James helped him along. We made it to the monistary, and the monks were all there.

"What about the government burning the place down?" I asked, and James chuckled. "Don't worry about it." He told me, and that meant don't ask again. Chris handed his stuff to the monks, and I started to laugh, knowning what would happen. They threw his things into a chest and locked it, then took my things and did the same.

Chris was very upset by the end of the first day, but I had settled into the old routine. Chris could not change into a hybrid, so his scheduel was different than mine. The two of us however both had urge issues, and the class was designed into training us mentally against these urges.

That class was fun. They took a manequin, or sething else and made it as good looking as possible. They made sit in the room and resist the "Alpha Male" instinct. The first time I woke up next to Chris and the manequin, and he was still in instinct mode.

They started having me in my hybrid form more, and Chris in his bull form more. They had us together more, but one day James came back and the monks said we had to leave. Chris and I got our things back, and left waving goodbye.

We approached the airport, but guards were everywhere. James had a friend that made a distraction for him, and somehow we loaded onto a plane. Our ride was quiet until halfway through, when James started to talk.

James told us that the next person lived in Ireland, and there was currently a policy of capturing shifters and sending them to an international shifter prison somewhere in the Atlantic. They stopped doing DNA checks, and would just do random tests on the streets to anyone who acts in an odd manner.

He explained that being a shifter, even against your will, was a crime. Patrick Denim had recently been avoiding Police, and they were bent on finding Denim to test him. "Denim..." Chris tried to remember out loud, "Denim! He's a shark, right? I think he was number 10." James replied that he didn't know. James also told how the plan worked: we were to land in Paris. Then Chris and I would go to England while James investigated another possible lead in Germany.

James also said Chris and I would need to investigate London first. Patrick Denim did live in Dublin, but he had a recent record of unusual trips to London. The plane touched down, and we went our ways.

Chris found a hotel, and we got a room for the night. Both of us went out for a drink that night. I remember walking into the bar and asking for a drink. The bartender looked at me funny, and Chris pulled me to the side.

Chris told the man something in French, and handed money to him. The man placed two glasses on the counter, and filled them up with something that looked odd. I was drunk within two cups and can't remember what happened next. Chris claimed instinct kicked into me, and I had a brawl with him that ended with both of us being kicked out of the bar.

We hurried out of Paris and took a boat from France to England. As we entered London, I noticed there were a lot of police surrounding the city. "He didn't tell us where we had to go." I frowned as Chris reminded me of that, and I sighed.

I asked Chris to go find a hotel, and he asked where I was going. I said investigation, and we decided on meeting at a restraunt nearby at two o'clock.

I went to a new inland harbor, thinking that a shark would go to water. I looked around, and found no leads on anything animal related. At the end of my search, I started to leave the area when a guy called to me, "Hey!"

I went over, and we conversed for a bit. Apparently the "Shark" was looking for new customers to buy his firearms and shifter mixture. He told me about a show in the warehouse where they would sell the guns, and I left.

I worked my way back to the restraunt, and found Chris. I told him about the show, and that I was suspicious about how open the man was. Chris agreed, but stated it was our only lead and we had to go with it. He said that we should just worry about eating for now, and we finished our lunch.

We went to the show later that day, and it was very quiet. Everyone there looked tough, and no one said a single word. They wrote down orders on pads while the exhibits showcased weapons.

"Hello all!" A voice called from the intercom, and everyone looked toward the control room in the corner. A man was inside the box with a microphone, and kept talking, "My name's Shark. I thank you for coming today, and..."

Chris leaned close to me and whispered this may be our only chance. I also thought that, and told Chris to kill the power and go back to the hotel when I found a back entrance. We both left the warehouse, and found a second door on the roof after looking for a few minutes.

After giving Chris the signal, I stripped down and shifted, leaving my clothes on the roof. I bursted through the door and ran down the stairs to the control room. As I opened the door, I heard laughter. Patrick Denim was standing infront of me with a shotgun.

"Oh bravo, 'Alligator Man'." He told me, "I had you tagged when you came into the city. April sent me and Samantha an email about you. Unfortunetly, you killed Samantha. It was obvious you'd come after me, once I heard about a guy poking around my gun sales."

I lunged before he could talk me, Patrick shot and missed, barely. That gave me enough time to grab him by the neck, and carried him to the roof so I could hold him over the edge. I asked if he still worked with Charles, but fire sirens went off before he could answer. Patrick laughed and shifted, making me lose my grib and drop the shark into the water below.

"What the..." I was confused, only until I heard an explosion. I looked over the edge, and the explosions occured on the bottom floor. The supports blew out, and the building fell into the grim water below.

I considered my two options: try to jump off, and face a battle in the water against a shark, or try to go on land and exit the scene without arrousing suspicion. I quickly grabbed my clothes and jumped off before everything went into the harbor. Glancing at the wreckage and around the area, I shifted back as soon as possible and put on my clothes. Sneaking from the police entering the scene, I made my way back to the hotel.

Chris was sitting in the room when I walked in, and he had a smile on his face. "What's so funny?" I asked, "April warned him about me. How many other people know?" Chris stopped smiling, and told me to chill. He would look in his email to see if he could find it, but more importantly Chris said the police were not commenting on the explosion.

He said that meant they didn't want shifters to be expelled for causing chaos. It also meant Patrick Denim pulled some strings to keep England as a backup plan incase Ireland would find him. I asked what Chris wanted to do next, since it was his call this time. He replied, "Dublin. We have an overdo visit."

The two of left the next morning on a boat. We made it to the bottom of Ireland, but were asked by security guards to show our DNA cards. Chris tried to fake that his was gone, but they didn't buy it. One guard held out a scanner and told Chris to spit in the tube.

I laughed and said that I wanted to spit first. The guards rolles their eyes, obviously annoyed, and handed the tube to me. At that point, Chris punched the guard closest to him and I kneeded the guard near me in the face. The man in the boat with us was not a shifter-sider, and hopped out of the boat. He started to swim away, and I decided not to chase the man.

Chris and I evaded the police before they went to the guards we attacked. The police in the street would randomly ask for a DNA card. I remember being asked, but everything after is hazy. Patrick Denim was elusive here, and we couldn't seem to find a single lead.

Until one day I caught wind of a millionare art show in Dublin. Denim's father was rich, so Denim would go with his father to social gatherings, right? After Chris heard my plan, we both left for Dublin on a boat from the spot we entered Ireland at. "What if it's a trap?" Chris asked me, and I grinned.

"I think that it would just give us an excuse to break some things." I replied, and then stopped. Was that an urge, or was it me? Chris gave me a funny look, and didn't talk to me for the rest of the ride. The boat's captain was acting funny, also. I think he was drunk, but the fellow didn't seem to care.

Dublin was a quiet city from the outside, but when we entered the harbor there was hundreds of police. As we docked, they would ask for DNA cards every other person, but would switch it up. They asked for mine, and having no card I told the man I lost it. He attempted to pull me aside, but I punched the officer in the nose.

I dove into the harbor and started to swim away, but police were shooting at me. One hit my leg, but I kept going. I started to sink from being tired, and I changed into an alligator. I heard more gunfire, but swam away before they reached.

I wandered back into Dublin in the evening, avoiding the guard, and "borrowed" clothes to wear to the show (more for the days to follow, but i planned on returning them after). I dressed, stashed the clothes, and went to the show.

Getting in was difficult. All back entrances were blocked, and the roof was closed. A few windows were opened, but it would be obvious if I attempted to get it. So I went with plan B: bluff. I started to go through the main door, but the registar man asked me my name.

"You let me in," I told him, "Or i'll blow your cover of sympathizing with shifters." The paused, and stared at me. He whispered, "You wouldn't." I started towards the guard at the door, but he stopped me. He murmured something, and I went through the door.

I found Chris already inside, and chatted with him. He went through a window earlier that day, and just stayed there until the show had enough people. I asked him how he made it off the boat, but we were interuppted by the speaker.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to our exclusive first peek show. Our host, Patrick Denim, has quite a line up today." The man pulled a curtain, and it revealed more weapons. I glanced at Chris, and he was shocked. "Pretend that you hate shifters when Patrick gets out. He doesn't know you." I told him, and started to work my way over to where everyone else was going.

"Welcome to the fourty-second weapon sales convention. We only have the highest quality for your tastes." I remember the voice of Patrick saying that, and watching him walk down stairs. "We have a special weapon for tonight. It's called a 'shifter pill.' I need a demonstrator, because I already have a shifter."

A panel from the wall fell off, and it revealed a half filled room with water, and a person was inside banging on the window. Many people rose their hand, but Denim picked me knowing that it would work. "This gun," He told everyone, causes a shifter to shift, and has no affect on a person. Watch the tank."

Another man walked into the room, and forced fed a pill to the shifter. The shifter was forced into a shark form, similar to Patrick's but a different species. The room was quiet. "Here you go." He gave me a pill, and I took it smiling.

Everyone watched intently, and nothing happened. The room erupted with cheers, but Patrick Denim stood dumbfounded. Patrick gave me some pills as a gift, and invited me into his office as appreciation for being a volunteer. I tool the invitation, and us too exited the room.

"Alright," Patrick said walking down the hallway, "How did you do that?" I asked him what he was talking about, but Patrick just stopped. "Bull. How did the 'Alligator-Man' avoid my pill?" I told him I wasn't the Alligator Man. He paused again. "So you aren't?" He asked, and I nodded. Patrick pulled out a gun, and commented how no one will care if I die then. I kicked his hand and pushed him against the wall.

"Okay," He said, "what do you want? For me to stop my job?" I thought back to when Charles said he gave everyone one jobs, and swore. "I'll get killed for this... My job is to get money so we can live in peace. You already made Number 07 take up Sam's job with his, and Li isn't responding so now 06 is in charge of Li's job. Chris's job was trusted to April, but 02 is doing her job now. There, just go."

I pushed him harder against the wall, and asked, "Why are you fighting for Mary?" Patrick lied and said it was for his gifts, and I punched him. I told him I'd give him one chance to quit working for Charles, but Patrick laughed. "You don't get it. We're the future. Charles is trying to evolve everyone, and let Humanity become what we're meant to be."

I called him a madman, but Patrick pulled another gun and shot me. I tried to elbow him, but he fired the gun two more times. I started to shift, but Patrick ran. After I changed into an alligator, I burst through the door back into the hall. It was empty, the show must have ended. I swore, realizing that Patrick may have bluffed for time to fire his gun without attracting attention.

"So you want a match?" Patrick's voice sounded over the speakers, "Let's make it fair." Water started pouring in from the ground, and I searched for exits. All the doors were locked, and pretty soon the room was filled halfway. The panel from earlier opened again, and Patrick fell out. He changed into a shark, and I jumped after him.

The battle began, and he would bite me before I could hit him. Patrick continued this, and went into a frenzy after blood started to spill out. I managed to hit him a few times, but I was losing, bad. Patrick made the mistake of falling into instinct, and I took the advantage. I hid in the blood cloud until the last second, and bit him back. This time, he had huge gouges on his side. Patrick stopped, and floated tothe surface. I swam up quickly, and pushed him to stairs above water.

Patrick shifted back and coughed, laughing. "Don't worry..." He told me, "Security footage in this building ends right after my body stopped. They will only see the enigmatic Alligator Man attacking a shark. And as for the formula... That's probably what you want. We won't tell you until you kill us all. Also, I lied about my job and the others. We do all have jobs. Sam's was to collect people for our cause, if she didn't tell you. Mine was to test weapons for our army... I promise you, these are the only answers I have. But, as a final testament," He pulled a hidden dagger, and jabbed my heart, "you must not live either." Patrick collapsed, and I started towards the door. I yanked out the dagger before making it to the roof, and finally sat down for a second to rest. The last I remember that night was a shadow over me.

A nightmare occured that night. Patrick stabbed me with the knife while Samantha and April lunged at me. The pain was horrible, and I couldn't do anything to stop them. The three stood over my body an laughed, then they disappeared.

I woke up on a plane with no other passengers besides Chris. "Good morning, sleeping beauty." He joked, but I ignored the comment. I heard footsteps, and glanced behind me. James walked up. "We have good and bad news." James told me, "The good news is Patrck Denim hadn't wiped his hard drive on his computer, so we can get information about what exactly he planned to do."

I told him about what Patrick told me, but James wasn't concerned. "The job thing is fake, unless Charles didn't explain to Chris his job. But the bad news is something you really need to take a look at."

He put a DVD player on my lap, and pressed play. It was another TV report, "Hello folks. Today, we have another lead on the story of the 'Alligator-Man'. Last night, Patrick Denim was found dead in an art gallery. Patrick Denim was the son of millionare family Denim before leaving to go on his own. Denim was found with alligator teeth marks all over his body. We have a clip of battle from the night, revealing Patrick to be a shifter himself." The screen shifted to the battle at the gallery between me and Patrick. It ends with him floating to the surface as a shark.

"Denim is believed to be the arms dealer on the black market nicknamed 'Shark'. If so, Denim may have amassed billions before his demise. Also, another man's house was blown up, similar to the explosions that killed Dr. Charles Mary and Chris Allen. The man was presumed in his house at the time in Germany, and is assumed dead. The man's name was Otto von Metzger. Otto is also a shifter, recently DNA tested by the German police. France, Germany, Poland, the United States, Norway, Finland, and Austria are currently the only countries that are not claiming that being a Shifter is a crime or have anti-Shifter laws.

"This brings Alligator Man's charges to the murders of Samantha Lex, Charles Mary, Chris Allen, Chris's girlfriend April, Otto von Metzger, and Patrick Denim; He is also charged with resisting arrest on multiple occasions, stealing, auto theft, and attempted murder of Li Winters.

"We also have a message for Alligator Man, from a mysterious group known as the Ten. It's audio only, but very chilling." The screen is black, but words appeared as the audio began, "To a Mr. Alligator Man: We are ten. You may have killed half, but you will not survive your next encounter with us. To the public: our mission in simple. We strive to remain in secret, and the villian you've named as 'Alligator Man' has exposed our members. We ask that you release our people, for they are not the evil ones. Our demand may seem large, but you owe us a great deal, more than you can imagine." The screen switched back to the News. "Spooky, isn't it? Among the topic of shifters, Li Winters was tried in Indonesia as the crime of being a Shifter. He was executed last night, and the United States stopped trade with Indonesia, stated that 'Being a shifter is not a crime. They are people, just lke we are'. Indonesia has refused to comment, but war may seem like the possible conclusion..." The DVD stopped, and I glanced at James.

"And you might want to check yourself before the plane lands. We're going after an Australian named Brett MacDuff. He's on a buisness trip in San Diego, though we are quiet sure why." Puzzled, I glanced down. I didn't feel any different, until I pulled up my shirt. I felt my muscles, but something was off. They looked green... Like scales.

"James..." I called him over, and I heard a sigh. "I think it happened because of the damage occuring in your alligator form. I'm not sure though because it didn't happen after the fight with Samantha." James told me, and Chris gave me a pat on the back.

"I'm sure it'll go away." Chris reassured me, and I fell back into my chair. I fell asleep.

 

Alligator Man - Brett MacDuff

I woke up in a hotel. James and Chris were gone, and the curtains were open. I walked over and looked out the window. It was daytime, and the beach went on for miles. I was excited and looked around for some clothes to wear outside, since pajamas aren't good for a day at the beach.

It was one of the dumbest ideas i've ever had. The second I stepped onto the beach, my urges went crazy. One wanted to swim, another wanted to eat raw fish, and the strongest was for the women nearby. I remember starting to talk to one, but then my mind blanks.

Chris slapped me awake. I jumped out of bed, only to see I had been sleeping with two women. James was standing in the doorway, trying to keep himself from laughing. Chris ordered me to pack up, and we left the hotel.

"I can't believe you." Chris stated in the cab, and I attempted to plead about my instincts taking over. "You were trained to resist. I'm disappointed." Chris shook his head and glanced out the window. The cab ride was silent after he said that, and we didn't get out until we went an hour away.

We left the cab and quickly split up to find a hotel, but Chris stayed with me so I wouldn't get a "funny" idea. I tried to lose him a few times, because it was rediculous, but he just stalked me closer. James called me, saying he found a hotel. We went to check it out, but there was screaming nearby.

I ran to see what was happening, only to find police surrounding a building. There were sirens everywhere, and I guessed that it was a robbery. Realizing beeing on the scene would cause some issues, I started to quietly slip away.

"Excuse me, sir," I heard a voice call to me, "but do you have your DNA card?" I turned to the officer and polietly replied I did not need to show him my card. "It's now a state law. Passed last night." I told him to arrest me if it was, and the officer stared at me. He mumbled something along the lines of, "Me too.", handed me a card, and walked away.

I slipped away, finding my way back to Chris and James. We sat in the room for a bit before Chris asked where I went to. I handed him the card and explained about the officer a bit. The card said a date and a location.

"Either it's a trap or it's a club. Only one way to find out." Chris told me, and I frowned. I didn't want to go to another convention and be a party crasher again. James explained that it may be a lead on the five remaining shifters and may explain why Brett came to San Diego in the first place. I sighed and took a nap for a while.

I had a nightmare about Jessie. I called her name and could hear her, but I could not find her no matter where I looked. I would find Sam, April, Patrick, and Charles Mary just sitting there, staring at me. I thought I was about to find her when I woke up.

The date was the same as the card, and I figured out where the location was at. A private security firm was guarding the entrance to the building, but let me through as I shown my card. It was packed inside, and I realized what was happening. They had a convention for shifters, and the firm had used their van as a DNA scanner.

I tried working my way out when the main speaker came out and cleared his throat over the microphone. "Hello everyone," He announced, "and welcome to the first ever SPNC, Shifter Protection Negotiation Convention. We aim to keep your rights in countries strong and true, not to be muddled by terrified men."

I tried to work my way further back in the crowd when a man grabbed my arm. "Where you headin, mate?" The man asked, and I panicked thinking that the man could be Brett MacDuff. I thought to myself that he was the target and I could just kill him right there, but I was forzen. "I'm sure you can enjoy the convention, so stay." I turned and listened to the speaker, but focused on trying to sneak away from Brett.

"We would like to introduce one of the ten today! Her name is Madison, and she is ranked two. Everyone, please welcome her today!" There was a lot of clapping, but I was still preoccupied with escaping Brett's gaze. I started to turn when he grasped my shoulder.

"Why don't you come with me to security for a bit?" He asked, and I moved my shoulder away. I told him he shouldn't do that, and the man grinned. Brett shifted into some giant bird, kinda like a pelican, and lunged at me. A couple other crowd members also hit me, and I don't remember anything after that.

I was staring at a ceiling for a while before a few men and Madison came into the room. I smiled and was slapped right away. "Cut it." Madison told me, "Who sent you? If you tell, we'll let you go." I only laughed. She pulled a knife out, and held it to my neck. "Spill the beans or the blood. Your choice."

I lied to them and told that Alligator Man sent me, to figure out who they were, and what their main goals where. If possible, I was supposed to due so damage and possibly kill a council member. She pressed the knife harder, and I cried, saying that I knew nothing else. Madison kicked me back and ordered her men to knock me out. I tried to get out of the chair, but I was out cold in a few seconds.

I awoke in an alley, somewhere in San Diego. I went to a nearby phone booth to call Chris, but I had no change. I swore, and started toward the hotel. After halfway, I noticed two men trailing me. I thought that I had covered my tracks after the alley, but apparently Madison had good men.

I tried hiding in the bathroom and changing rooms, riding on elevators, and even swimming but the men somehow followed me everywhere. Eventually, I gave up and walked over to the men. I asked them to stop following me, and they gave me funny looks.

"Are you okay, dude?" One asked, and I asked them again, only louder. I was hoping that a policeman would see the disturbance, and possibly do something about it. They also caught on, and left quickly. I didn't see them for a while, so I headed back to the hotel.

"Where were you?" Chris asked me as soon as I walked in the door, and I explained what happened. He rolled his eyes and said something about me having just enough time to stop by a stripper club, and I finally had enough.

I snapped at Chris, commenting on how he probably treated April. James heard the commotion from the bathroom, and tried to break it up. Chris yelled, and I yelled, and honestly I don't recall anyone being happy. I stormed out of the room, and can't remember where I went after because instinct had kicked in. Chances are I did go to a stripper bar, but I could have ate some eggs too.

A policeman shinned a flashlight in my face, and I quickly got off the ground. "Sir," He told me, "Sleeping in the street is dangerous here, if you can't tell. There is a shel-" I cut him off and explained that I had a home, I just fell asleep while walking home. "Can I see your DNA card? We are on the look out for some shifter with this DNA number." I replied that he couldn't do that, and the officer only repeated his question. I started to walk away, and he told me I was under arrest for resisting a police officer.

I started to run at that point. I made a turn, went into a store, and hid. I think I waited ten hours, and they were called off by someone. He was standing next to me, about to open the door when his walkie talkie called off the search. I left as soon as he was gone, and hurried back to the hotel.

Chris was at the entrance when I got there. He didn't notice me, and I slipped upstairs before he could. "Chris is looking for you." James told me as I snuk in the door. I explained I just wanted a nap, and James shook his head. "Seriously? He's worried sick about you. Go down stairs and apologize. I feel like I'm your mother, holy cow."

I sighed and swallowed my pride, then went to go find Chris. We met in the hallway right before the elevator. Chris stared at me, and I stared back. It felt like forever before Chris broke the deadlock. He hugged me, and I could barely breathe. He started crying, and only hugged harder. "I'm so sorry. I'm just... You're losing yourself in this. Do you still even care about Jessie?"

Time stopped when he said the word Jessie. My mind flashed with her image, and when James told me he'd find her. I let go of Chris, and told him to come with me. We walked back into the room, and James looked up. "I'm glad you two made up. Now, I have word that the ten are having the another meeting tuesday. It may just be another trap to lure Alligator Man in, so Chris and I will go while you wait for the cue. How did you... Wait, where there men following you?"

I explained what happened, and James swore. "Why didn't you tell me? And the two men might have tracked you here, serious? What if they kill us?" I felt the ground rumble, and Chris and James also looked down for a second. We rushed to the window, and the floor level was in flames. The ground shook me the second time, and windows burst open on the second floor.

"Jump!" James pushed me out of the window, and I fell.

I woke up in the sewers. I glanced over, only to find Chris and James lying in the sewage. Almost gaging, I got up. I somehow shifted into a hybrid, as was Chris changed into a bull. I sighed, and tried to wake up James. He rolled over, and mummbled something. I did an alligator roar in a better attempt to wake both of them up. James jumped out of his spot while Chris just got on his legs.

"What happened?" I asked James. He told me that when I hit the ground, i broke some bones and slipped into instinct. James landed safely on top of Chris, but Chris broke some rips. He would have to stay as a bull until his rips would be fully healed.

James also changed the plans again. The goal was to kill Brett, but James has to stay with Chris. I would instead go, and get Brett. I would also try and get Madison, whom James believed name was actually Madison Rundell. He explained her name came up a few times while he searched for shifters, and she was a major banker.

James handed me clothes, and I got changed after I shifted into a human. "I just have one question." I told James, "What about Jessie?" He replied with he had no leads still. I thought he was lying at the time, but didn't call him out. I left the sewers, and headed to the 'new' convention.

Once inside, I sat down in a chair toward the back. The room was filled and listening in to a woman speak. "And our sales have increased ten fold since Denim's death, we ask consumers to keep buying in order to help pay for a just funeral."

"Garbage." I mumbled, but the man next to me heard. "Do you have a problem, sir?" I remembered the voice that asked that, it was the same from earlier. Brett Macduff.

I apologized and bluffed, saying last death they increased twentyfold. Brett asked another question, but I can't remember it. I was very mad though, and slapped him. Brett then lunged, and we started a brawl while everyone scattered in a circle to watch. It was a bunch of kicking, but Brett then transformed into an Albatross.

People screamed and ran, while a few members stayed. I saw Madison stay, and soon the room was almost empty. Brett was almost done for when Madiaon joined the brawl. She shifted into a parakeet, and began to snap her beak at me. I dodged a few bites, and realized I was losing.

I changed into a full alligator and continued the brawl. We continued the stalemate until Madison started to drop her guard. Another person in the room saw, and began to attack me. While I fought them, Madison and Brett escaped. The new person also escaped while I was fighting off an instinct.

I was alone in the room, and I hurried out into the street. Many people began screaming, obviously because an alligator was in the street. I found a sewer, and went down to go get Chris and James. I walked a ways until I heard James voice, and he was crying.

I turned the corner, and found Chris lying with a huge gash in his bull side and James crying. I rushed to Chris, and asked what happened. "They came. Brett and his friend came. Chris is going to die." I told James to go find a vet or something, and I started to pile cloth on the wound.

"I'll be back." James told me. When he returned, another man followed him. James explained Chris did rodeos in town and had a vet in case somethin would be hurt and his vet was busy. The approached Chris, and started to work. He complained about the stench, but raised no questions.

After it was over, the man asked what was going on. James said to him, "Is he going to be okay?" The vet explained he would be okay, and James showed him out. I still sat there, a thousand questions in my head. My biggest question was how were we going to get Brett and Madison.

"We go and beat them to a pulp!" James yelled, and I asked who would watch Chris. James explained that they wouldn't attack twice, it wasn't there style. After he convinced me Chris was going to be okay, we headed out.

James found out their next group, a final cpnvention meeting open to the public. We waiting until the hour, and went to it. We found a spot, in the front. It started, and Madison was the host with Brett as a cohost. "We welcome you to our final meeting of this convention. We would like to know if you were confused at anything over this convention." I raised my hand, and she asked what was confusing.

"Why would you try this again?" I asked, and shifted into a hybrid. People started screaming, and Madison realized it was too late. She changed, but it wasn't quick enough. I smashed into her, and heard bones break as we hit the wall. Brett also joined the fight, but James blocked him as I dueled Madison.

She barely managed to avoid my attacks, losing ground each time. Madison attempted to bite, and she did snap off a part of my tail. I went into a frenzy, and bite back. I didn't realize it right away, but I snapped her in half as the room went quiet. I heard Brett wail, and James kicked him in the head.

Brett went down with a thud, and police sirens went off in the distance. James and I went out a back exit, both looking like normal people and slipped away before the police saw. I could barely think, her blood was in my throat. I wanted to scream, it was a horrible feeling.

We left the sewers the day Brad could walk. James continued to search for new leads while I found a hotel. We all sat down in the familiar room. "Hey," James told me, "I found something." I walked over to see what he was looking at on his laptop. "Someone found her I.D. yesterday. Not much, but it had a number on the back. 017."

I paused, not sure what to say. "Also," James brought up, "The news has a new story." He flipped on the T.V, and I heard Brad groan as the local station played some music to introduce them.

"Hello, and welcome to the evening news. I'm here with two evening stories. The first is about Jessie Tornbil, a Miami native. Her I.D. was found last night in the New Orleans airport, and she is reported missing. If you know any details, call 104-277-7981. The second, however, is of the infamous 'Alligator Man'. The Shifter Protection Negotion Convention, or SPNC, was closed by a shocking event. Eyewitnesses claimed that Alligator Man jumped from the crowd and attacked the host. Police reported two dead, one being... Oh my god. Being bit into two pieces. This is horrible. I can't... I can't even... Oh my god." The news flipped to a please wait screen for a few minutes. It returned with a new anchor person.

"Sorry about that. Madison Rundell, a registered shifter, was pronounced dead after being found split into two. It was assumed Alligator Man did this, as she has been discovered to be one of an illusive group of 'Ten' shifters. Brett MacDuff was also found dead, an autopsy revealing him to have suffered head trauma. It is believed that 'Alligator Man' killed these two.

"If so, that brings his charges up to the murders of Samantha Lex, Charles Mary, Chris Allen, Chris's girlfriend April, Otto von Metzger, Madison Rundell, Brett MacDuff, and Patrick Denim; He is also charged with resisting arrest on multiple occasions, stealing, auto theft, and attempted murder of Li Winters. The president has declined to comment on his activities, only saying that 'They are in a different playing field than us. We're merely watching.'"

"It is expected that the government will begin searching for 'Alligator Man' soon, most likely using search warrants. Also, if each of Alligator Man's targets were a part of the ten except for two, which is assumed from the message they earlier sent, then he would have killed seven now. If you want to know the whole and exclusive story, go to our website at..." I tuned out the rest of the noise, still shocked at what I did. Split her in half.

"We're still finding the next person, but I have more news for you." James told me, "That problem you've had in your human form, it's worse. I think it may be because you get injured in your human form, but your cells are acting like alligator cells. If you focus on being human you will transform that way, but if you just think of being yourself you may go into some sort of default. Now get some sleep, tomorrow is going to be long."

I fell back on the bed, too busy thinking to fall asleep. I sighed, knowing we were far from over.

 

Alligator Man - Rick Snelling



I remember waking up after the plane ride, but what happened until the next day blanked out of my mind. I don't know why that occured, but Chris seemed to act odd the next day. I finally broke the ice and said I didn't remember the other day.

"That explains it." Chris sighed, and told me, "Instinct came over, but this time you transformed and went on a rampage. Nobody was harmed besides me, but James went out to get someone he thinks will help you. He also found something that may lead to Jessie's location."

I asked who the someone was, but Chris did not know. Chris knew, however that the next Ten member was Rick Snelling. "Rick was usually second in command and was employed at the New York City Zoo. He probably has a job as an animal that is free roam and his shifting animal is a Lion. James will say more when he gets back."

"What about number seven?" I asked, and Chris shrugged. Chris commented that Charles had been in the process of removing him while Chris was still one of the Ten. After a long wait, James waltz through the door. He glanced at me, and back at Chris.

"I take it he's OK now?" James questioned, and Chris nodded. James started to smile, and stared at the window for a bit. "My friend was coming to help you, but there has been a change of plan. Number seven came into the city last night, and we have one chance to get him. Chris and I will go after seven while you and my friend will kill Rick."

I nodded, and asked when we would leave. Chris answered right now, but I argued that we should stay a bit longer. "We can't." James told me, and the two left while I was left to wait for someone to get me.

James's friend, Kurt McCoy, arrived and the two of us left for the zoo in the morning. I didn't feel so good while he was around, but I figured it might have just been me. I haven't had any fun in a while, I thought to myself, maybe we can chill today. Kurt didn't agree with my opinion, however and wanted to get the job done as soon as possible. We entered the zoo, and decieded to split up to cover more ground.

I actually wanted to sit down and have some cotton candy, considering I haven't been able to relax in a while. After buying the cotton candy, I strolled for a while until I found a bench and sat. Jessie was the first person to pop in my head. I hadn't thought about her, and maybe Chris was right. Maybe I need to think through everything.

I also thought that Chris and I should have gone together, and that James was acting funny. I mean, switching up the game plan this late, how is Kurt supposed to stop an urge? And what about Jessie, how long does it take to find a person?

I dosed off on the bench, and woke up with Kurt standing right in front of me. "You know," he told me, "For being some five star assassin you're a lazy-"

"Hey." He was interupted by someone tapping on his shoulder. Kurt turned around, and realized he knew the stranger. Kurt whispered with him for a good five minutes, and then turned back to me. "James wants us to get done with our mission within two days. He has set up a plan to kill number 7 and needs Rick to be killed before he can go into hiding.

He ordered me to go do a few things, and I followed what he said. I still didn't feel good, and started to think that maybe my instict was trying to warn me. I laughed, convinced that I had no special "spidey sense". Kurt disappeared for a while, and I still continued finding an item he wanted. I paused, and realized that he wasn't the boss of me. I figured if James wanted it done he would have told me before we left the hotel.

I smashed the bottle he wanted, not trusting Kurt and going with the feeling in my gut. I then left the area, going to find some answers on my own. I wandered over to the special Lion attractions, only because of what Chris told me earlier. I found the exhibit, and noticed the Lion outside of it's cage, and no one seemed to mind.

He was so close, but if I tried harming him then I would be revealed by the cameras, or he could escape and our mission be pointless. I was puzzled until I came up with an idea: let Kurt kill him. I mean, then Kurt would be arrested, and my hands would be clean. As much as that idea pleased me, James most likely would want his team alive, even though i was sure he had enough to spare.

I started to walk away when I saw Kurt come into the area. Maybe leaving him wasn't a good idea, but my instincts haven't killed me yet. Sure, it endangered me but I'm still breathing. Kurt catches up to me, and I laughed as he pulled on my shoulder. "Fooled you!" I lied to his face, hoping he would think I'm just being stupid.

"Yeah," Kurt practically snapped at me, "real funny when James heres about this. I shouldn't hav..." I tune him out when I notice the Lion acting funny. It started to jerk, similar to when instinct starts to take me over. I pulled Kurt away. He only stops moving, and asked, "Is this some sort of messed up game to you? Seriously, why-"

"Shut up and keep going." I told him. Kurt just stared at me, and followed me quickly. I held up my hand near his face, and counted down. Five, four, three, two, one... As soon as my finger closed, there was a squeel coming from behind. I explained to Kurt instinct took over Rick, and now he's attacking people. He asked how I knew, but before I could reply someone shoved me to the ground.

"What...?" I rolled over, and found Rick as a Lion right on top of me. I could have sworn he smiled, and slashed my eyes. I screamed, and before I could react fainted from a second push he did.

I dreamed I was on a cloud. It was so peaceful, and everyone that died was around me. Charles Mary, Samantha Lex, April, Li Winters, Patrick Denim, Madison Rundell, Brett MacDuff, Otto von Metzger. It was such a beautiful, and I was crying. Charles walked over to my ear, and said something I can't repeat. Li, April, Patrick, Brett, Madison, and Otto all followed suit. When Samantha walked up, she kissed me on my cheek. "Not yet..." She whispered, and pushed me off the clouds edge.

I jumped up. I glanced around the room, seeing I was in some sort of hospital. James was sitting over in the corner, and so was Chris and Kurt. They all napped, and I sighed before I noticed something. The world seemed a bit more yellow. And by a bit, I meant holy cow Neon yellow. I rushed out of bed, waking them but I looked in the mirror.

My eyes, they looked wrong, more narrow, the pupils were off and... Like an alligator. I staggered back, trying to convince myself against the obvious. "No no no..." I whispered, "This can't be happening, why? I wasn't an alliagtor, why?" I try thinking of human eyes, but I give up. I'm too disoriented to do any of that.

"I'm sorry, it's permenant. It's rare, but he scrapped a bit of your brain. The one part with visual sense, and also took out your eye. I'm sure if you had enough experience you will learn how to prevent this." James told me, and whirled me around, "This can't stop us now. We came back and halted the attack on seven. I have trackers now so he won't get away, but we only have so much time."

Chris comes over, and gives me a hug. He whispers he's sorry, and squeezes a bit. I hug back, but then Kurt comes over and splits us up. "Listen, Rick is on trial for killing innocent people. Our best chance is to watch the trial, and attack. Chris and James will resume their attack when we do."

I argue that attacking him publicly would reveal our identity, but James simply frowned. He reassured me, then told me to take a nap. I sat down on the bed, still unsure of the yellowness in my eyes. How much more damage had he done to me? Would people notice? What was going to happen next? I finally gave in and fell back asleep.

I awoke on a car ride. I was unsure of where we were going, and looked over. Kurt was driving, but I couldn't see where. "Here." He hands me sunglasses, "It won't help much, but at least people can't see your eyes." I put them on just as he stops the car. We both get out, and see the photographers line up against the sidewalk. "So much for a quiet trial..." He muttered. I followed Kurt inside as we sat in the back for it to start.

Basically the trial was a bunch of lies and semi-truths thrown back and forth. Rick attempted to claim he was insane, losing control of his mind seemed like a reasonable symptom, but the other lawyers claimed he was too dangerous. It made me sick, I thought, how any of these... These HUMANS would-

I stopped that train of thought. Instinct can't get control of me this time, I vowed it wouldn't anymore. I sat on a bench, similing at waiting while my mind raged a battle between myself and my instinct. I took a deep breath, attempted to regain focus as instinct crept in my head.

"Hey." Kurt whispered, and I glanced back. "You okay?" I nodded, taking a deep breath and trying to relax. Sitting in a trial is not my ideal plan, but I didn't make the rules. The trial continued for what was forever, and the jury was suspended on a standstill.

As we got back in the car, I asked Kurt, "If they could get a video of one of the ten, why don't they have one of me?" He replied with something stupid, I can't remember. I think he was trying to get off subject, which rose my suspicions but I didn't mention anything.

We wandered around New York City for a while, and went out to lunch. Kurt recieved a call from James, asking if they were ready. Kurt replied no, saying we needed more time and I heard Chris laugh, probably because of James's face. The phone clicked, and Kurt turned back to me. Kurt looked upset, and I kept staring back.

"Listen, James needs us to finish him now." Kurt said plainly, and I nodded my head. We had wasted enough time and should have done the job by now, I thought. We both got up, set on killing Rick and getting James happy again. Maybe he would find Jessie when we finished, I convinced myself it would happen after this.

The trial resumed, but only Kurt was in the building. It would be a hit and run, I'd crash through, kill Rick, and escape. I was outside, shifted as a hybrid and hiding in the shadows when I heard a scream. There was an explosion, and Rick was running away as a Lion. I chased after him, obviously slower but Rick could not keep at his pace for long.

After sprinting two blocks, Rick slowed more each step while I closed in on him. He glanced behind him right before i lunged, and we were locked in a struggle. There were sirens in the distance, but it didn't matter. All I could focus on was killing Rick. I slashed at his side, but everytime I was too short. Before long, Rick countered and slashed my back, and it trobbed in pain. I inched closer every time to getting Rick, still ignore the obvious police sirens surrounding us. I was so close, I could breathe on him.

There was a gunshot, but both of us continued. It was obvious it had been a warning shot, and it didn't slow either of us down. I think the police were too scared to join, and soon there was a large crowd, but it could be policy to take the dead body for examination.

Nobody seemed to understand what was going on, but they still crowded around the street, wanting to watch the battle unfold. I would be hit but Rick evaded my attacks like a silouette. He seemed so real, but when I touched him it was merely an illusion. He coule take just the right amount of steps to-

That's when I realized it. He knew exactly what to do because he had training at the monastary. That's how he could counter, because he had more training than me. How did he get the training was my next question. I felt like one door was closed, twenty were opened.

First thing's first, is what I told myself, kill Rick. I kept him thinking he was winning, leading him on for my great plan. There was one mistake he was making, he was confident. Rick had no idea what was happening. At his motioned matched mine, he was caught when I had locked Rick's paw in my claw, and he suddenly realized what just happened. If he would move another paw, he'd fall over and be injured. I could easily chop off his arm, and he could do nothing.

I grinned and whispered, "Checkmate." I swung my open arm at his paw, and lost control. Instinct inched in, and I attempted to regain control but failed. This time, I could watch what happened. It was... I still have nightmares to this day. After that, my body was ordered to stop because I just murdered someone. Luckily, and probably planned, there was a manhole nearby and I slipped into the sewers.

It was a familiar sight, but i hated it every time. Alligator in the sewers. So funny. I made my way around, unsure of where I would end up. It took a few hours to make it back in the bush with my clothes, and I reeked. I just walked out after changing, and went to go find Rick.

I started at the car, and picked up my phone and called James. "All done." I told James, and he murmured something back I couldn't hear. "What?" I asked, but he had hung up by then. I went back to the hotel, figuring that Rick would come back and it would be okay.

I sat down on the bed after going to the hotel, and flicked on the T.V. The news channel just started. "...evening news. This evening, the local court house was blown to pieces by Alligator Man in attempt to kill Rick Snelling, a shifter that murdered ten people earlier this week. Rick pleaded guilty, and also claimed insanity. To his disappointment, Rick was found sane and about to be sentenced to death. Just as the words left the judge's mouth, the building was ingulfed in flames."

The picture switches from a news room to the building on fire, "Here is a photo taken from the scene. The explosive killed all the jury, the judge, the lawyers, and anyone who was in the front, a total of thirty-four people. One of those was Kurt McCoy, a shifter who was also the scene when Brett MacDuff and Madison Rundell were murdered. The police have annouced that Kurt was most likely on Alligator Man's side, the one that has been murdering an organization called the ten. If so, then Rick Snelling could be one of the ten. That would bring numbers up to eight of ten killed. We bring you one of the clips from the fight, just moments ago. Viewer discression is advised."

The screen flashes to when I was repeating the same moves with Rick. The reporter continued as it showed the scene, "That brings his charges up to the murders of Samantha Lex, Charles Mary, Chris Allen, Chris's girlfriend April, Otto von Metzger, Madison Rundell, Brett MacDuff, Patrick Denim, Rick Snelling, and the other thirty four people in the court. He is also charged with resisting arrest on multiple occasions, stealing, auto theft, and attempted murder of Li Winters. And for-"

The picture switches one more time, to a field on fire in the backround of a reporter. "This just in, yet another shifter battle went on today. In the outskirts of chicago, a fight between a bull and a bear raged on for hours. The bull eventually overcame the bear, and retreated somewhere after police lost the bull in Chinatown. The bear, however is sitting in the field, revealed to be a man nicknamed 'Number 7.' This Number 7, believe to be a member of the ten. We have a comment from a bystander, an owner of the farm." The camera moves over a bit to a man, dressed in overalls and a plaid shirt.

"I was sitting there when I heard a crash and hurried downstairs. There was a bull and bear in my living room and hurried away. By the time I called police, they were done fighting and my house was on fire." The camera moves back.

"The total number dead of the ten is nine. That means just one hangs in the balance. Everyone is still unsure of who is truely good and who is bad. We also have a new announcment from the president." The T.V. pauses, and then shows the president.

"Today, we were attacked. It may not seem so, but this new playing field of 'shifters' cannot be ignored any longer. Alligator Man is now been made a terrorist, attacking the judical system at it's finest. This sort of senseless act is now the tipping point. Ten or Alligator Man, I don't care. But when you attack us, then it's done. Stricter laws will be passed, and your days are numbered."

The news continued at the news room, "We are now going to attempt and explain the events so far. The first event was Charles Mary, a Nobel Peace Prize winner in Biology, was murdered. The next was Samantha Lex's death in New Orleans, first revealing shifters to the public. It was followed by the attempted murder of Li Winters. He was executed later on the basis of being a shifter. Alligator Men then killed Chris Allen and his girlfriend in an explosion at their house in Texas. Otto von Metzger was then killed in his home right before Patrick Denim was murdered, and the ten were revealed. Brett MacDuff and Madison Rundell soon followed, shortly after the first shifter conevtion was closed. Rick Snelling and the bombing was next, and now the fight between seven and a bull. This brings the total dead to fourty-four people. If you wish to be kept up on shifter updates, download the app at..."

I tune out the television and shut it off, still overwhelmed. Who blew up the bomb? Where is James? Is Chris okay? Where's Jessie? Who taught Rick? I snapped into focus when my phone rang. "Hello?" I began.

"You have a ticket on your bed. Your flight to Miami leaves in a few hours. Hurry up." I heard a click and sighed. James seemed off, but I didn't care. I was too tired. I just wanted a rest, but I put on my shoes and found the ticket. After a short ride in a taxi, I made it to the airport and onto the plane.

I sat in my seat, and noticed the plane was empty, but maybe that was James's gift. I sighed, and fell asleep. Every step closer hurt even more.

 

Alligator Man - Jessie Tornbil

"News flash! The final member of the ten, believed to now go by the code name one, has revealed that he or she kidnapped Jessie Tornbil, who is now also known to have affections toward the man behind the snout." The news report shook me awake. I heard Jessie's name, and now jumped out of my plane seat. I hurried out of the terminal, now determined to finish this.

I pulled out my phone, and dialed Chris's number. "Hello," a voice answered, and I knew it was James. I asked if he heard the news lately. "Yeah, I still can't believe it slipped my net... But hurry back to your own house. We have a plan." I also mentioned Chris, but James hung up and I sighed.

I sprinted out of the airport after grabbing my bag, and then I tried hailing a taxi. After the third drove by with me being the only one at that stop, I started walking back. I was so nervous, this was it. The final one, Jessie, all at home. I smiled, knowning that it was in the bag with James here. Just like old times, I thought.

I made it to my house and it was quiet, to my dismay. "James? Chris?" I called out, and still recieved no response. I went through the kitchen and opened the fridge door. Nothing was inside, and my stomach growled in objection. I strolled over to my bedroom, before thinking about the fridge again. We had just got groceries the night before it all began, so why was the fridge empty? I scratched my head before realizing my house wasn't empty. I heard a thunk and blacked out.

I woke up, my vision blurry. My sunglasses were off and everything was yellow, I had a hard time focusing in. In front of me, there was Chris. He was just waking up also, and we both stared at each other. He asked me where we were, and I replied that I had no clue.

"Welcome," something waltzed into the room, clapping while talking in a raspy voice, "to my little games. We have three for tonight, all of which are exciting in their own extent. First, however let me introduce myself." The man, or should I say thing, revealed itself to Chris and myself. It was a smaller version of a raptor, probably six feet. "I am the game master. You can call me Mr. J for short if you want, J for Joker." He laughed.

"The first game is simple: kill your opponent before he kills you. But it gets better, you have a time limit! And if you fail to shoot someone within a day, then you both die! Your time starts now!" A screen suddenly appeared, displaying 24:00:00. It started to go down, and the raptor left clapping.

"Chris..." I chocked out, looking at the gun in front of us. "What..." He glanced back, and started to cry. I walked over to him passing the gun. We hugged for what seemed like forever. "Let's talk." I told him, and he agreed.

I explained what happened after the plane ride and he mumbled something. "Okay. It all makes sense." Chris commented, and i questioned why. Chris replied, saying that when they went to go get seven, James disappeared. James did not reply to any of Chris's calls, and he was forced to kill seven alone. Well, after the fight James helped Chris escape back to Miami. He mentioned something about Jessie, and Chris was knocked out while James muttered something to him. Chris woke up here, right in front of me.

I glanced at the clock, 20:31:22. It haunted me, knowing someone would die in twenty hours. "Chris, I can't keep this up." I told him, and reached for the gun. He steals the gun, and took a few steps back while I paused trying to understand. "What are you doing?" I ask, denying the obvious. He throws the gun in the corner.

"We have twenty hours, let's make the most of it." He shifted into a bull, and laid at my feet. Instinct swarmed me, and I finally let go. I couldn't control it. But, this time, instinct did nothing but stand still. I paused, waiting for a big run for the gun but instead nothing. I forced myself to lie down, my eyes burning. The world tinted even more yellow, and I began to cry.

"I can't kill you." I whispered, huddled close. He snorted back, and I knew what it meant. We stayed together, and I remember Chris the first day I met him. "If I shoot myself, Chris..." I chocked, trying to finish the sentence. He merely rubs his nose against my chest, wanting me to relax. I laid on top of him, knowing he was the one that had to die. My mind wandered and before long I was asleep.

"Wake up." I heard Chris whisper in my ear, and I jumped awake. Spinning toward the clock, the numbers flash 02:50:21. How had I been asleep for 18 hours? That wasn't even possible, I had thought to myself. I glanced around, seeing the world yellow again.

"Listen, we can't keep this up forever..." He whispered to me, trembling with the gun, "And we all know who has to die. The lonely, backstabbing traitor that has nowhere to turn to." He pointed the gun, and I froze. I heard my heart thumping as he continued, "I lied to you. I'm so sorry. There is no formula. It's a lie, a horrible, damnable lie." He pulled me in close, and murmured, "C4." I heard a gunshot.

If the world ever stopped, it stopped then. Only for a second, but rocked the world. He slumped forward, smiling. I started to scream, but it was useless. Chris was gone. I hug him closely, watching the timer tick away.

When the clock hit 00:00:00, a door opened. The raptor came in, clapping. "Bravo, very well done performance. Chris lost his mind while you slept, but I suppose you have lost yours. Oh well, follow me for the next challenge, and you'll be in for a big suprise." I closed his hands together, crying because it was the last time we were together.

As we rode up an elevator, the raptor talked about what a privilge I had to have made it to the second round, blah blah blah. I really didn't care anymore. Chris gone, James couldn't help me, Jessie was kidnapped. I was helpless and useless, and there was no point of continuing, and yet I did. The elevator stopped, and we hopped out.

Jessie was in front of me, dangling by her foot unconcious over the roof. The same, beautiful Jessie. Just the same as when I was taken away in the hospital. I almost rushed over until the Game maker put his hand in my way. "Not so fast. You have ten minutes to figure a way across without going straight in. Otherwise she drops down twenty stories. Also, if you try to go straight..." He threw a rock, and it was covered in burns by the time it reached Jessie. A clock appeared above her, reading 00:10:00.

I paused, trying to find a path through this maze. I attempted to throw rocks and find a way across. The time dwindles. Nine minutes turned into seven and seconds felt like hours. My heart raced, and my brain throbbed. Six minutes, I heard the tick. I tried to go over and under. Five. I tried throwing the rock fast. Four. Threw it slow, three. Two and one felt as if they just appeared. The clock hit 00:00:30 and I finally thought, Screw it.

I ran the gauntlet, knowing where major points were. Every step ticked like the timer, and it dwindled. The closer I got, the farther away I was. The timer hit ten, then five and I could have almost breathe on her. Time slowed, and I could have done nothing but watched it. Four, three, two, one.

Her eyes opened, the pretty shade of purple that I loved dearly. My mind flashed to a memory. We were sitting in a park when I asked about children while two kids ran by our blanket. "I would want children only because they would be so much like their father." We kissed, and I stared into those eyes. I replied that if we had children, I would have wished them to have their mother's eyes.

And then she dropped. My arm reached her leg, but they met briefly. I grabbed her, but it was too late. She slipped past, and I glanced over the edge. I watched her twist in the air, and screamed her name. The world was not yellow at that point. It was red.

I had lost my mind, slipping into instinct that time. I woke up, on the roof. The Game Maker stood ready for a fight. I stood up, and realized I was a hybrid. "This is it. Give up, I'm done with your game!" I shouted, but he laughed. It sounded familiar, like an old friend. Then he shifted his head, and I stared in awe.

James was the Game maker. "Did you really expect someone random?" He started, and I was confused. "You are so stupid somedays. I kidnapped Jessie. I kidnapped Chris. I set the explosives up. I told the ten what to do. They all lied to you, there is no formula. That was Charles's plan, not mine. When he died, I was in charge. I called the shots. But his precious little student couldn't be hurt."

I was extremely confused as James continued. "He cared for you too much. I think you should have died, a failed experiment. But you survived, evolved. Charles gave you the formula for shifting, so he only gave us the actual syringes. Any tampering and they explode. My question, what did he tell you?" I paused, and realized what was actually happening. Charles didn't trust James, so he gave me the formula to his future. He also gave me the immunity shot so that I would be able to stop James.

"So, Alligator Man, I made up a bunch of lies to throw you off. Tried killing Chris the other time in the sewer. I lied about the specific jobs, hoping it would dissuade you but somehow you ignored everyone's abilities. Enough chatter though." James shifts his head back, and goes into a stance.

I rushed at him, feeling the rush of instinct. But it wasn't instinct, it was me in control. I clawed hard, he would dodge and it continued on. "Give in!" He shouted, "Why bother fighting? She's gone, everyone you know and love is gone. Why bother?"

"Why not kill me right away, just avoid the pain of losing your pawns!" I yelled, punching him hard, "You would have saved everyone so much time. Why kill them all?!"

"Because," James slashed my side, "You deserve a worse punishment than a quick death! I must cut you up, little by little. Ruin your life and just laugh, watching you wither into nothing. Charles thought you were always the best, but I know better. I'm not stupid like him."

"Are you jealous? Do you need to justify all of this wih a jealousy?" I motioned toward the pole where Jessie had... "You can't even kill me! Charles already-" James lunged at me, forcing us closer to the edge.

"If I do enough damage, you can die! You can't regrow a heart. And even if you can, I'll tear it out again and again!" He cackled and moved his face closer while we were locked together, "And who knows, maybe Jessie will be waiting in hell for you..."

I rolled him over and and was on top, instinct clouded my mind, "Maybe I'll just rip your heart out once." James laughed, and kicked me off. James charged once again, catching me off guard as he dug his claw into my ribs. I manage to twist his arm, however, and he roars.

"You can't kill me! If you kill me..." He snaped his fingers, and there was an explosion nearby, "Then you'll die with me."

I only thought about killing him until this point, and the comment made me pause and think. If he really would have been able to do that, then he wouldn't have said anything, I thought. I snapped back into reality when he slammed into my stomach, pushing us dangerously on the edge. "Then let's try somewhere else." I smiled when I realized the best plab to kill him.

I held him close, and rolled off the edge. It was a long fall, I'm not really sure how long it lasted. But one thing was for sure, just before we hit the ground, I whispered my favorite quote, "I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truely good at heart."

 

Alligator Man - Epilogue



I woke up in a hospital, with no machines attached. Why wouldn't they try to keep me alive? I though, and came to the conclusion they must have realized shifters change back when they die and they also had no knowledge on treating shifters. I rolled onto my side, feeling a sharp pain on my back. "Aghhh..." I moaned, and heard a yelp of suprise from the hallway.

There was running for a while, and many people with cameras entered the room. The room flashed vividly, and I stuck my head under the cover while they asked questions. I heard even more people rush into the room, but there was shouting.

"Ge out of here!"

"You can't do this! The public must know!"

"Shut up and leave!"

The flashes died down, and I peeked out from my cover. Two police were standing at the door, facing outward. A doctor strolled through the door, and stood next to my bed. "I'm only here to inform you what's happened, instead of running tests." The man stated, obviously annoyed as he continued, "You survived a twenty story fall, have a trial in a few minutes, and have been asleep for two days. Get up, it's time to go."

Why was he so anxious to get going? I wondered that until we reached the elevator, surrounded by the media. They screamed for my attention, but I focused on the trial and entered the elevator box. The doctor hit g, and the backround music began to play.

It was a very catchy tune, all thought the doctor did not think so. He stood there, complaining about how stupid it was and how slow the elevator was. The doors opened, and we were emeressed in the media. We quickly blew through the media, and made it to the car. The doctor and I entered quickly, hoping to get out of the mass chaos as quickly as possible.

I hadn't had time to relax, but as we rode in the car I glanced around. I was still in Hybrid form, having dried blood on my tail. I wished i could wash up, but they must have been more preocupied about the trial. I wondered the point of a trial. I couldn't die, I'd out live the walls they would keep me in, Jessie was...

It was too soon. Much too soon. I focused on my new tasks. I was going to a trial to fight for my freedom, but I had no proof. The mass hysteria would still be lingering, and there was no way I could hope to survive in that court, I thought. I was doomed from the start.

I lowered my head as I was brought out of the car and into a court room. The room was packed full, everyone's eyes came upon me when I entered. It was dead silent, almost as if you could hear a pin drop. I quietly sat down next to the doctor.

"Let this trial begin." The judge stated, and I dozed off. My mind had finally snapped, tired and done from everything. There really was no point in the trial, or in anything really. I had no reason to exist now, and they tried judging me for crimes I didn't commit. After a while of the opening talks, the judge sighed.

"We will begin by viewing witnesses of the murders of shifters claimed to be a part of 'the ten.' We call upon Courtney Cross as our first and only witness of Samantha Lex's murder."

All eyes fell upon a small girl that entered the room. Her innocent, round face spoke a soft tale as her two pony-tails bounced in her walk. She eventually made her way to the front and sat at the pedastol. "So, Courtney. What exactly happened? How did Alligator Man murder Samantha Lex?" Asked the prosecutor. He was a sly man, jet black hair smoothed back to look smarter than he really was. His eyes squinted slightly and his face had a point to it, emphasizing his cunning personality.

"He didn't." She replied, and everyone remained shocked as the two continued the investigation.

"What do you mean he didn't?"

"I mean it wasn't a murder. The lady attacked him, and he almost died. She was intent on killing him, and he had no way to live other than kill her." The court had a low mummble of conversations.

"Your honor," began the man, "She may have been confused. She is a little girl and-"

The judge interupted, "I think we've heard enough. She is the one and only witness, and that was all we needed for this crime. Now, we continue with..." I zoned out yet again. The trial continued in the pattern, the prosecutor being wrong on all issues and myself being an innocent angel. They didn't even bring up the theft crimes. I wondered why not, when I figured that people didn't care about those, not at those times. Plenty of cars were stolen in those areas, and a local man was easier to blame that the most famous murderer of the day.

I didn't pay attention until the very end of the trial. "Now, the final crime was the murder of Jessie Tornbil." The words echoed in my ears, stunning me. They accused me of murdering Jessie? I tried to save her! "Our final witness, Alligator Man, please come to the stand."

I stood up, still dazed from the acusation, and walked to the podium and sat. The prosecutor began with the question, "Now, Alligator Man. How did you do it? How did you kill her?"

"I didn't." I replied weakly.

"Then why does she have claw marks on her legs?" He asked, showing a picture of her legs.

"I tried catching her before she fell, and I must have scratched her." He flashed a smile at me.

"You would hurt your-"

I cut him off, "No. Never. I loved Jessie, I loved her so much. All of this was to save her, everything I did after Charles Mary injected me with the shifter formula was for her. James stole her life, isn't that enough punishment? I'm stuck here forever, and she's somewhere better. Don't you get it?"

He looked puzzled, "What do you mean, stuck here forever?"

I sighed. "I mean like this." I took my claw and cut deep into my leg. The wound bled for a little bit, and closed up quickly. "I can't die. Can you just leave me alone?"

"We've had enough of this." The judge sent me back to my seat as the jury went out to discuss.

"Hey." I heard a whisper behind me, that sounded exactly like someone. It couldn't be... Could it? "This old cowboy can't die from a gun blank. Meet me in the place after this."

I whipped back, but no one was there. I wondered, was he still alive? He couldn't be. I glanced around, and saw a man leaving. I could have sworn he had a small taik sticking out. I turned back when the jury reentered the room.

"The jury has reached a verdict. Alligator Man is innocent of the murders of Charles Mary, any of the ten, those killed in the bombing, James Smith, and Jessie Tornbil." It felt as though the weight lifted off my chest. Maybe he would still be alive...

"This trial is over." The judge hit his gambit, and the court errupted in joy. The world continued, and maybe there was hope. He could be alive, and if he could be alive, then what else happened? I stood up, and the crowd erupted with cheers. I hadn't thought my opinion was a good one, but I had been wrong.

I glanced around again, and noticed the doctor motioning me to follow. I did so, and we ended back in the main hall of the court. I was then escorted out quickly after, with four guards guiding me to the car. I opened up my door, suspicious of what was about to happen next.

"Where are we going?" I asked, sitting down. No one answered, but they did start the car. Annoyed, I asked again, but they began to drive. I heard a chuckle from the front seat, and the driver turned around.

"He said you'd ask a lot of questions. Be quiet and we'll be there shortly." The man told me, and I stare straight forward. Was he still alive? The car finally made it to the swamp after an eternity. My mind buzzed with hundreds of questions as they stopped the car infront of a cabin. James's cabin.

"No... No it can't be." I whispered as I exited the car and started towar the cabin. At first i was walking, but shortly after it was a sprint to the cabin. Time slowed while I sped, thoughts blurring my vision. I grabbed the handle on the door, unable to take any more agony of the wait. I flung open the door. The blood drained from my face.

"I'm so sorry." Chris smiled, offering his hand toward me. I shook my head no, and took a step back.

"No... You can't be... You died, you died in my arms! I watched you die!" I wailed louder each word, my lips trembling.

"It was a blank. I couldn't... I couldn't let you know. I did it so you could continue, so neither of us would have to die."

"How did you know it was a blank?"

"James... I helped him plan that 'game'. He thought you would shoot yourself and die. He didn't expect me to put in a blank and-"

"You could have saved Jessie." I whispered, the realization shattered my mind.

"No, I didn't know anything about her being in-"

"Liar!" I screamed, the blood lust beginning to flow, "You let her die!"

"Listen to yourself!" Chris countered, "Is this what you want? To avenge Jessie by killing the man who saved you and going insane?"

The blood lust disappeared, and I slumped to my knees. I slowly shifted back into a human, but was having trouble focusing. The reality of what he said sunk in, and I realized how much I was losing my sanity. I stumbled on each word, "Chr... Chris. Sh.... She's g...g..."

Chris walked over and placed his arm on my shoulder, squeezing hard. "She's gone." I lost control. I began to cry and wail. All sorts of horrid noises came from my mouth, and Chris stood behind me.

"Listen, you have to get up." Chris helped me up, myself leaning against him for support.

"What will we do now?" I asked, sniffing between each word, "Jessie's gone, and..."

Chris turned me to face him, and grasped my shoulders. He looked me straight in the eye, and told me, "We won't worry about that now. We defeated the ten, saved the world from an army of shifters, and have a hell of a story to tell."

"At what cost? Losing everything important?" I asked, and Chris looked toward the window, as if he could see some sort of vision on the horizon.

"You fought for something so important to you, and you fought with a pure heart. Don't ever forget that." Chris told me, and I sat down on a bed in the next room.

I was finally satisfied, and lied down in bed. I had one last flashback with Jessie, both of us lying in bed late one night. Jessie nuzzled close to me, rubbing her nose against my neck. "What will you when I die?" She asked me, and I was stunned by the question.

"We'll die together. I couldn't stand a moment without you." I told her, and she looked away upset by me avoiding the question. I glanced at the ceiling, sighed, and replied, "If you die before me, though, I'm going to cry. And be upset, and probably never be the same."

Jessie turned my head to look straight at her, and she smiled. "Don't ever cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." I hugged her, and we kissed.

The flashback disappated from my mind, and I closed my eyes, relaxed. I smiled, and quietly murmured, "It's over, Jessie." My mind drifted asleep, content.












~~~~~~•THANK YOU•~~~~~~~



For the amazing support! I understand my story was wayyyy too fast paced and needed to take a chill pill. FF kept me going, though and I'm excited to see all these new writers to flourish. There was no way I could have finished a story like this without encouragement.

Alligator Man has come a very far way, and the ending was not at all what was originally planned! (Jessie was going to kill Alligator Man in tha story.) I hope you all enjoyed my short tale, and not completely confused at the end like in Mass Effect 3.

If you want to comment on this thread, go ahead (but not like d-bo on the first page)! Feedback thread is kind of useless now that this is over. If you want to say how amazing this story is or how much you hated it with a burning passion, go ahead!

Again, thank you for the support. Hope you all enjoyed this and I look forward to the future.

 

Bump for kicks and giggles.