Intriguing!  I wonder what option he's talking about!

I was wondering when he would get the big, "This is too good to be true feeling."  Nicely done Grayle.  I look forward to the next section with great anticipation!

  When the electrode wires brushed against his exposed skin, Chris could feel the faint current of electricity flowing through them. It brought tingles into his flesh, visually manifesting themselves as goose bumps on his arm. The tee shirt and pair of shorts they supplied him with were a bit on the snug side compared to his usual attire, but it was the best they could provide at the time. The stale air in the large examination room did little to comfort his aggravated senses, and the sterile metal and plastic equipment around him proved a bitter reminder of how far away from nature his current location really was.

  Emily finished looking over the calibrations of her equipment, and then turned back to Chris.

  “Alright, it looks like we’re all set,â€� she said as she approached. Her caring brown eyes grabbed Chris’ attention. “Are you sure you want to do this? We can just take a blood sample and learn from that first.â€�

  Chris smiled. “Thanks, but I think Dr. Collins is right. You guys need to know as much as you can about my kind, and so do I, really.â€�

  He glanced over at the window on the far wall. On the other side of the window were Phillip, Shannon, Jake, Dr. Collins, and Scott, all observing him with anticipation on their faces. He looked back at Emily with a mischievous grin.

  “Besides, I can’t wait to see Phil’s face when it’s finished.â€�     

  Emily smiled, accepted his statement, and left to join the others. She took a sitting position at a console in the adjacent room, hit a button, and her voice came through the overhead speakers.

  “Okay, Chris; ready when you are.â€�

  Chris nodded, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and began to listen to the internal workings of his body. His heart beat in perfect synchronization to the pulse of his blood flow. He listened deeper; his intestines were rather noisy as they continued siphoning nourishment from the night’s meal. He listened even deeper, and soon found that low-pitched hum far within himself. As he had so many times before, he remembered the sound it should be, the higher pitch with a bit of a whine, and the sound soon took the form in his memory. His heartbeat increased, his blood flow sped through his veins, and then the heat arrived.

  The prickling of countless emerging hairs invaded every inch of his flesh. His arms and legs began to ache and burn, and then began to change shape. Chris fell to his hands and knees on the cold hard floor as his sense of balance lost the ability to compensate for his writhing form. All of his hands and feet elongated, and began to grow pads on their undersides. Chris could feel his tail begin to take shape, aggressively pushing out of the back seam of the cotton shorts. His back twitched as bones and cartilage repositioned themselves, twisting in form. His head soon followed suit, causing his skull to recede, his face to lengthen, and the rims of his ears to flatten and grow triangular points. All the while as this was happening, his exposed skin took a hiding place behind thick coats of hair and fur.

  Chris shook every inch of his body and stretched his arms in front of him. With one swift, powerful movement, he pushed off from the floor with both arms, which catapulted him into a position standing firmly on his hind legs. He looked back at the onlookers gawking at him from the other side of the window. Every jaw in that room would have been on the floor if it could, with the exception of Jake, who was brandishing that devilish grin of his.

Thanks, wolfsong. Here's a bit more. I'm not a scientist or anything, so I hope Emily's explanation makes sense. Comments appreciated.
------------

  Chris shrugged his open arms amiably. He wasn’t very used to being the center of attention, and it made him increasingly self-conscious.

  Jake was standing next to Dr. Collins. He tried to get the doctor’s attention, but was unsuccessful, so he tapped the doctor’s shoulder. Dr. Collins closed his mouth and looked up at Jake, at which point Jake signed something. When Dr. Collins spoke, his voice came over the speakers in a shallow timbre. 

  “Jake is asking if you can speak in your werewolf form.â€�

  Chris shook his head, raised his right paw, and emphasized his wolf-like index finger and thumb, which were close but not touching. He could only say a little bit in American Standard, a few words at best.

  Jake tapped the doctor again, and signed something a second time, and then Dr. Collins relayed the message.

  “Chris, if it’s okay with you, Jake can pick up your thoughts telepathically and relay them to all of us. It would be like we’re hearing your voice over the speakers, but it will all be in our heads. Would that be okay with you?â€�

  Chris nodded. Immediately afterward, he sensed a thought in his head that was not his own, as he did before when Shannon put a thought in his mind.
 
  This is Jake; I'm putting this thought in your mind. If you can sense this thought, raise your left hand and wave at me, was the thought.

  Chris did accordingly. 

  Say the answer to the following question in your head: when you had lunch yesterday, what did Phil order? was the following thought.

  “A double bacon cheeseburger with onion rings and a side of grease,â€� Chris answered in his mind.

  “Very funny!â€� Phillip protested through the real speakers.

  Chris opened his mouth as the corners of his lips curled. “Just kidding,â€� he thought. “It was a chicken sandwich.â€�

  “It was a grilled chicken club, thank you very much,â€� Phillip clarified.

  “Looks like it’s working,â€� Scott commented.

  Dr. Collins nodded, and turned back to face the subject in the next room. “Chris, can you see in color in this form?â€�

  Chris nodded an affirmative. “I have much better night vision, too; especially in the forest. It’s like all of my senses are enhanced and more accurate.â€�

  “Chris, how do you invoke the change in form?â€� Emily asked.

  “I listen for this sound in my body, this hum,â€� He explained in thought. “I make it change to a different sound, and then I start to shift. When I want to shift back, I make the sound change back to the other sound that it was before.â€�

  “That sort of confirms my readings, then. It seems you can force the molecules in your body to vibrate at a different frequency. Once that happens, your DNA alters in response and new components in your DNA are activated, no doubt wolf-based in nature. At that point your entire body changes to meet the new instructions from your DNA. From a molecular standpoint, you ‘vibrate’ yourself into a werewolf and back.â€�

  “Ooh, kinky,â€� Phillip commented.

I kinda agree with you, wolfsong. The explanation is not technical enough, and needs to link the DNA alteration to the frequency vibration somehow. It's something to work on in later drafts. However, let me know if this further explanation helps clarify things, okay?
------

  Even in his hybreed form, Chris wore a face of confusion that could be interpreted by any onlooker. As a result, Dr. Collins attempted to explain.

  “You see, Chris, everyone’s body looks and acts the way it does because of cellular structure. Each one of our cells has a certain look, shape and job, based on instructions given to it. Each cell gets those instructions from the DNA inside of itself. Now, DNA has an enormous amount of genetic info inside of it, most of which is dormant. It’s the active information that makes us into what we are. Apparently, you have the ability to somehow activate certain dormant instruction inside of your DNA, adding it to the already-active components. At that point, your cells change shape and function in order to accommodate the new instruction, and as they change form, so does your entire body.â€� 

  “So, my DNA tells my cells to take a new form, and my body takes a new form as a result?â€� Chris thought.

  “Exactly,â€� Dr. Collins confirmed with a smile. “Your body change is a visual manifestation of all your cells changing.â€�

  Emily added to the lesson. “The up side is that any wounds not entered into your genetic makeup beforehand would be repaired or replaced as your body changes to meet the new genetic instruction. Even critical wounds could theoretically be repaired simply by changing form.â€�

  Chris looked away as he found himself reminded of the wound on his side. With everything that has gone on, he completely forgot about it, and that definitely said something about its status. He reached up and inconspicuously examined the wound with pressure from his paw. It was still there, but was no longer bothering him with stiffness or pain. Apparently silver retarded the healing process, just like Julie said it would. Once the silver was worked out of the wound, the wound would heal the rest of the way as he shifted form. He wondered if he would end up having a scar under his fur.

  “So you actually have a vulnerability to silver, like in the stories?â€� Scott asked for confirmation.

  Chris looked back at him, unsure at first, but seconds later he remembered that his thoughts were being broadcasted. Suddenly, a foreign thought appeared in his mind.

  Oops! All of that was a private thought, wasn’t it?

  Chris looked over at Jake, whose eyes were wide with mild shock. Chris felt another thought enter into his mind.

  Sorry about that; it’s difficult to tell the difference sometimes. I’ll try to be more careful. I’m really sorry about that, Chris.

  Chris used his left paw to wave off the concern carelessly, which caused Jake’s smile to make another appearance. Soon Chris heard Jake’s mind respectfully inform the others that the thoughts about his wounds and about silver were private in nature. The others nodded in understanding.

  “No worries, Chris,â€� Dr. Collins announced, “Your secrets are safe with us.â€�

  “As long as all of your secrets are safe with me,â€� Chris thought.

  The doctor pointed at him with a smile in appreciation. “Exactly! But, you know, since the subject’s up, would it be okay to ask about your reaction to silver?â€�

  “To be honest, I don’t know much about it,â€� Chris admitted. “I got shot with a silver bullet yesterday. It went right though my side; maybe it wouldn’t have if it was a regular bullet, I don’t know. But Julie said that it wouldn’t heal right until any silver left behind was worked out of the wound.â€�

  Emily was staring at her screen. Her expression testified to her surprise at the current status of his injury. “That’s a gunshot wound? From yesterday? That’s incredible! According to my scans, it’s well on its way to being healed! Can I get a tissue sample from you? I mean one now and one when you change back for comparison?â€�

  Chris shrugged. “I guess,â€� he thought in his mind, trying not to feel self-conscious about it.

  Emily stood and entered the examination room again. She grabbed a long metal gadget from a table on the far wall. On one end of the gadget was a needle. When she began to approach Chris, he could practically see the tension growing across her skin, and smell the trepidation oozing out of her pores. But then he realized that it wasn’t as much fear as it was a mix of apprehension and astonishment. Chris was familiar with those feelings, so he was able to empathize; it gave him comfort that he was not the only one with uncertainty about the circumstances.

  In an effort to set her more at ease, especially since she was holding a metal instrument with a needle at one end, he decided to show his approval of her performing the procedure. Chris lifted his right arm and used his left paw to raise his shirt and expose the injured area, now almost completely recovered with fur. He even swished his tail a few times to show his approval. He couldn’t tell if she consciously noticed, but the effect to her disposition was undeniable.

  With a quick prick, the procedure was accomplished, and Emily retreated to the table on the far side of the room. She applied the sample to a slide and set the slide under the lens of a microscope, and finally returned to the adjacent room.

Wow! I caught up on your story. I actually only intended to read 2 posts before I fell asleep, but before I knew it, I kept reading more and more posts. I love the way you describe "Dad's" eyes. I can picture them right now. I like the character introduction you gave everyone. It lets the read know who is who, and their personality traits.
There were so many things to like from your posts, I'm beginning to forget them all. I loved the transformation sequence, I could really invision it.
Now you better post some more...soon!

What!  He married his mother!  Wow, I have to admit I didn't see that coming at all.  You have knocked me for a loop with this one Grayle.  Great stuff man!

I was hoping that might peak some interest. Looks like it did; thank you both for letting me know! It's also great to know that my whole DNA explanation is feasible. As to the whole mother thing, just keep in mind that he did say 'genetically speaking,' which means a little more explanation is in order. But before we get there, let's have a bit more character interaction and set the scene, shall we? 
---------------------

  The conference room was not exquisite or elaborately decorated, but still had as much character as Dep:118 itself. A long oval table dominated the room, surrounded by comfortable chairs on casters, but did not make the room feel cramped. On the table were two coffee pots on either end, a conference phone in the middle, a few soda containers, and a few boxes with the remainders of the night’s meal. The far wall no doubt doubled as a video screen, as it was the only wall not adorned with covering. The rest of the walls had posters of different movies, books, and other media. The ceiling was also covered with similar posters, which Chris found to be very original.

  Chris, back in his human form, was sitting in one of the chairs and having a few more pieces of pizza; changing form a couple of times caused his hunger to make a vengeful return appearance. Shannon was in one of the chairs across from him, swishing some soda in a cup. Phillip was sitting on the edge of the table next to Chris, facing Jake. Jake was standing against a wall, since none of the chairs would accommodate him, and began devouring a piece of pizza after applying some anchovies. All of them were awaiting the arrival of Dr. Collins, hopefully with Julie’s arrival as well.

  At the urging of Phillip, Jake unfurled the large wings that he kept folded up behind him. Jake’s white shirt provided stark contrast to his fur’s ebony colour, and was open on the sides to accommodate the wings. The membranes of his wings continued all the way down to his knees. The black spandex shorts he wore were also open on the sides, but laced with strings that pierced the membranes as they crisscrossed the opening of the shorts. The span of his wings must have been nearly six meters in total length! However, they folded up behind and towered over his back, making him look like he was wearing pointed, leathery booster rockets.

  “Impressive, eh?â€� Phillip commented as he nudged Chris, who smiled and nodded in agreement.

  “Have you ever tested your range?â€� Chris asked.

  It’s not very far, Jake admitted, telepathically and with Chris’ permission. My wings aren’t large enough to allow me to soar, even though the bat I was merged with was a Fisherman Bat, and they’re known for flying long distances. I’ve learned to use the heavy winds around here to help me keep aloft.
 
  Chris nodded. “That’s pretty resourceful.â€�

  Jake smiled at the compliment.

  “Is that why Dep:118 stays in Culmna City?â€�

  Not really; but I’m flattered that you’d think I’d be so important, though. Dad has a strange affection for brooding weather that most people would get depressed over. I’m pretty sure that the weather was one of his main reasons for staying in Culmna. Still, knowing Dad, he may have listed my flying needs in the ‘pros’ column.

  “Also,â€� Phillip added, “the weather keeps a lot of people away from Culmna, so it’s kind of gives us a low profile. People are less likely to seek us out and try to discover our mysterious secrets.â€�

  That’s a bit of a stretch, Phil, Jake commented.

  Phillip shrugged. “I don’t have wings; I have to stretch in other ways.â€�

  Both Jake and Chris smiled.

  Chris began answering questions from Jake about his experiences with fighting crime in Romberg. Since Jake started out the same way in Culmna City once he was mutated, Chris begin to feel like he had a kindred spirit in Jake, and felt more comfortable as their similar experiences developed the rapport between them. He explained his stalking and hunting techniques, and also correlated them to how he hunted in the forest. Before long, Chris was telling them about the unsuccessful rabbit hunt the night before.

  “So what you’re saying is that you missed the rabbit by… a hare!â€�

  Chris and Jake pointed and groaned in acknowledgement of the comment.

  “Oh, for crying out loud, Phil!â€� Shannon exclaimed. “Can’t you let the bad puns go for just one day?!â€�

  Phil looked up at the ceiling for a moment in thought before answering. “Hmm... doubtful,â€� he replied as he looked back at her. “They’re too much a part of me, sorry.â€�

  “He’s just a ‘punny’ kind of guy,â€� Chris said.

  Jake and Philip both pointed at Chris and raised their voices with mild jeers at his response. Shannon cried out and collapsed her head into her arms on the table.

  At that moment, Dr. Collins entered the room. “Hey, what’s going on, guys?â€�

  “It’s about time!â€� Shannon exasperated. “Phil’s doing his bad puns again, and now he’s got Chris doing it too. Will you tell them to stop?â€�

  Dr. Collins considered the issue for a moment as he looked at the three, and then looked back at Shannon.

  “So, are you saying you can’t take the pun-ishment?â€�

  Phillip, Jake and Chris all pointed at the doctor, calling out and laughing more than ever. Dr. Collins smiled and emulated the response back at the other three. In a rather bold move, Shannon actually shot her famous annoyed look at Dr. Collins. When he received the look, Dr. Collins cleared his throat and composed himself, and then asked the others to settle down.

Thank you very much, Punx!
  In answer to your question, this story currently stands at 35,000 words. My other Dep:118 story stands at 50,000 words. That's a total of 85k, which is better than half of my goal. My goal is a book about 130-150k words, as that's the current stipulation for many SciFi publishers today.
  Fortunately, I've got a couple of other ideas to fill in the gap - I'm just not sure they'll fill it in completely. We'll see.       
  As to this story, I think it's just about time that Julie comes back into the picture, don't you?
--------------------------------------

  “Where’s Mom?â€� Shannon asked.

  “She’ll be along momentarily,â€� the doctor reported.

  “You guys call Julie Mom?â€� Chris asked.

  “Only these two,â€� Philip clarified as he pointed to Jake and Shannon. “The rest of us just call her Julie.â€�

  “Why just you two?â€� He asked Jake.

  We have reason to believe that our telepathic abilities are related to hers, Jake explained. Shannon and I consider Ray as our Dad and Julie as our Mom more than anyone else here; but if we’re correct, you may have more right to call her Mom than either of us.

  Chris frowned. “Did Julie tell you guys that hybreed DNA was linked to hers or something?â€�

  “Not exactly,â€� Dr. Collins explained. “It’s a bit more complicated than that. Without going into too much detail, there’s only so much that Julie’s allowed to tell us. She’s bound to a certain amount of secrecy by the laws of her people. Usually she can only give us hints, here and there.â€�

  Chris smirked. “That makes her sound like a bit of a rule bender.â€�

  “Or a politician,â€� Phillip added. “Even though there’s not much she’s allowed to say, what she does say leads to great stuff. I mean, her comment about the library led me to my first field assignment! If that weren’t enough, it led us to meeting you! I mean, how freaking cool is that?â€�

  Chris laughed quietly.

  “But still, her people only let her say so much, and it’s not a lot.â€�

  “Her people,â€� Chris repeated as he remembered their rooftop meeting. “She told me that she didn’t want to get in trouble with ‘others like her,’ and those reports in ALAN called her the ‘Angel of Loneliness.’ Is she a real, bona fide angel?â€�

  “Oh, no; no she’s not,â€� Dr. Collins answered fervently, “nor are her people. And they’re not gods, either, so don’t think of them that way. They’re just another form of life in this universe that has developed far beyond the current state of human existence. That’s all.â€�

  “Okay…â€� Chris mused. “So if she’s not an angel, then why is she called the Angel of Loneliness?â€�

  “I was never in a position to stop it from catching on,â€� said a new voice from behind Shannon. “Next thing you know, everybody’s calling me the Angel of Loneliness whether I like it or not.â€�

  Chris looked toward the voice and, appearing in white clothing of a different cut than before, was the blond-haired brown-eyed Julie, walking along the length of the table – from the end of the room that did not have any doors.

  “Hey gorgeous,â€� Dr. Collins greeted her, and displayed an endearing smile.

  “Hey, stud,â€� she replied as she approached him, and gave a similar smile.

  As the two met each other, Chris noticed the other three turning to look away. The doctor and Julie then kissed each other, with a level of passion that increased heavily with every second that passed. Soon their hands began exploring each other’s bodies.

  “All right, that’s enough, already,â€� Shannon announced after a half minute; and the two broke their embrace, but with apparent difficulty.

  “You seem to be a little more abrasive tonight, Shannon,â€� Julie commented. “What’s wrong?â€�

  “Pun attack,â€� Dr. Collins mentioned to her under his breath.

  “Ah,â€� Julie said, and then nodded in understanding as she turned to Phillip. “‘Time and place,’ Phil; give her a break?â€�

  “That’s why I stopped,â€� he replied with a shrug.

  Julie nodded in agreement and then turned her attention to Chris. “It’s good to see you again, Chris. I’m glad you made it all the way to Dep:118; I was hoping either they’d find you, or you’d find them. Have they told you about your people?â€�

  “A little bit,â€� Chris confirmed. “They also examined my genes and my DNA.â€�

  Julie smiled behind her blue eyes, like she was expecting that outcome. “Ah; then I’d imagine you have a few questions for me.â€�

  “You could say that,â€� Chris replied slowly.

  “I’ll answer as many as I can, it’s just that the amount of information I can divulge is limited by the rules of my people.â€�

  “Yeah,â€� Chris agreed, “Dr. Collins said something about that, too.â€�

  “Please, Chris,â€� Julie insisted as she wrapped her arm around the doctor’s waist, “call him Ray; he prefers it over any official title.â€�

  “Why, thank you, my little chocolate-dipped strawberry,â€� Dr. Collins, or Ray, said in thanks.

  “You’re welcome, my knight in shining Kevlar,â€� she replied, and kissed him again.

  What the heck kind of sweet nothings were those?

  Chris could not help but wonder exactly how long they had been married. In his opinion, they acted like their marriage was within the last few days, maybe even the last few hours. However, before anyone could protest to their affection again, they both sat down in two of the empty chairs. Once both were seated, Julie turned back toward Chris.

  “Go ahead, Chris,â€� She encouraged him, “ask away.â€�

Last edited by Grayle (2008-09-28 00:13:56)

UPDATE:  I edited the last third of the previous segment. If you can, take a gander and tell me what you think.

Many thanks, Wolfsong!
  The next few segments have quite a few answers in them. We already know that werewolves in this story are called hybreed, and they were introduced to the species pool artificially. I'm hoping these next segments will add a bit more history and maybe a little culture to the creature. Let me know what you think. I'm also not sure "brutally concise" is the description I'm going for, so suggestions are appreciated.

  One last thing: we're nearing the end of this "Possible Beginning" to the Dep:118 story. Keep in mind that this is only the (potential) first part of the whole thing. Still, I'll have a few questions for everyone once we get to the end of this part of the whole story, so stay tuned.
----------------------------------------------------------------


  “All right,â€� Chris agreed with a shrug. He sat up in his chair and folded his fingers together, placing his hands on the table in front of him. “Let’s start with this: Are you my Mother? Were you somehow involved in ‘creating’ me?â€�

  Julie was somewhat taken back at first, but then smiled. “No, Chris, I’m not your biological mother, and I didn’t have anything to do with the creation of you or your people.â€�

  “But you know what I am.â€�

  “Yes.â€�   

  “Alright, so then what am I?â€�

  “You are part of a race of creatures that are a genetic merger of wolf and human.â€�

  “A werewolf.â€�

  “For all intents and purposes, yes. Your people call themselves the Hybreed.â€�

  “And why are they called that?â€�

  “I don’t know, really. You’d have to ask them.â€�

  “Okay, so who are you? I mean, you’re not my mom, and you’re not really an angel, so who… and what… are you?â€�

  “My name is Julie. That’s the name I chose for myself. My people are called the Brevish. And no, we’re not angels; we’re not all-seeing or all-knowing. Other humans I’ve had contact with gave me that ‘Angel of Loneliness’ title without checking with me first. As to my people, they started out very similar to humans, but in time we learned how to shift between dimensions and realities. We aren’t tied to one form or reality plane anymore.â€�

  “Did your people create the hybreed?â€� Phillip interjected.

  “I’m sorry, Phil, I can’t answer that for you,â€� she answered, but her eyes never wavered from looking at Chris.

  “Oh, come on!â€� Phil protested. “Why not? Chris has the right to know!â€�

  Julie did not respond, and her face remained expressionless.

  “Wait a second,â€� Ray gently commanded. He narrowed his emerald eyes as he examined Julie, whose eyes stayed fixed on Chris alone. “Chris, do me a favor; ask her the same question that Phil just did.â€�

  Chris took a quick glance at Ray, then at Phillip, and then continued. He already asked if she created him and the answer was no; however, he didn't ask if it was her people that did the creating.

“Did your people create my people?�

  “Yes,â€� Julie replied.

  Phillip gawked. “Hey… how come-â€�

  “Hold on, guys,â€� Ray said as he stared at his wife, “I think I’m beginning to understand the rules a little better, here. She can answer questions from Chris because it’s him that’s asking the questions, not us. He’d probably be able to get answers that we couldn’t get from her in the past.â€�

  “We should’ve made a list,â€� Shannon commented.

  “No, I don’t think that would work. I’m betting that Chris has to ask the questions pretty much of his own accord. There's probably a limit to the subjects, too; maybe even specific phrases, for all we know. In either case, our being in the same room and hearing the answers is nothing more than a fortunate coincidence for us,â€� Ray narrowed his eyes as he looked at her thoughtfully, “one that her superiours might not necessarily agree with.â€� He straightened and then nodded with conviction. “I think it’s best if we’re just quiet observers for now, guys.â€�

  Chris shifted in his seat with the awkwardness of the events as they unfolded. It appeared that everyone here was trying to understand his origins as much as he was. And yet, they were taking their lack of understanding in stride as they attempted to learn. Was he misled as to how much Dep:118 knew about his people? No, the discussion he had earlier with the doctor indicated they did have some knowledge - at least, more than he did.  Even so, just what was he getting himself into? Why could Julie only answer questions from him? Why were they limiting how much she could tell them? He again looked at Julie, and wondered if she could answer any of those questions; probably not, but perhaps she could answer a related one.

  “Is what Doctor Col – I mean, Ray – is what he just said correct? Are you only able to answer questions from me, about my people and stuff?â€�

  Her smile widened in response to such a brutally concise question. “Yes,â€� she replied.

  Everyone in the room except Chris and Julie murmured interest, and began to silently pay the sincerest attention to the conversation.

  “One more moment, Chris,â€� Ray said. He looked intently at his wife, apparently trying to read what was not there to be seen. He rubbed his lower lip with his thumb and index finger in thought, and then looked at Shannon.

  “Shannon, could you go to the labs and fire up the spatial analyzer for me? Calibrate it to focus on this room alone,â€� and he tapped his finger on the table.

  “Sure; why?â€�

  “Because I think this conversation is being observed by more than just us, and I want to find out if I’m right. I think that might be the reason Julie isn’t breaking eye contact with Chris.â€�

  “You’ll let me know what I miss, right?â€�

  “Sure, just remind me if I forget.â€�

  Shannon huffed in annoyance and left the room.

  Ray leaned in toward Julie's ear and whispered "Thanks, baby."

  Julie’s appreciative smile widened to show her pearly whites – a lovely natural accessory to her attire.  She quietly displayed a hand motion for "I love you."
 
  At that point, Ray gave Chris the go-ahead to continue his questions.

Last edited by Grayle (2008-04-24 18:05:08)

oh...my...freaking...word....
I am sooooooo embarrassed that I missed that. I can barely admit to it. I don't think I'll be able to look any other writer in their eye colour for a while (obscure joke).

Punx, I owe you one.
  I mean it. Thanks.

  I like Julie, too. She's the one with most of the answers, but she can only give you one or two. She's of an alien race, but chose to spend the rest of Dr. Collins' life with him as a mate. She's supportive, thoughtful, every bit the other half of the Doctor; and most importantly, she just fits right in with Dep:118.
  She's a gal who really knows where her towel is (obscure reference).

  Now, we know what the hybreed are, and that they were created by the Brevish. So I guess the next question is: why?
-------------------------------------
 
“Okay," Chris began again, "so why did your people, the Brevish, create my people, the Hybreed?�

  “That’s a little complicated, but I think I know where to start. Has Ray told you about his theories in regard to your people?â€�

  “Yeah.â€�

  “Well, he’s closer to the truth than he realizes.â€�

  Needless to say, Ray visually became even more intrigued as Julie continued.

  “Hundreds of millennia ago, my ancestours claimed mastery over their home planet, using it as a resource for their own purposes. It destroyed the planet and all life on it; the only life that survived was a fraction of my people, who then had to become a space-faring race. They found other worlds to colonize, and they continued to grow and develop. But they also found many worlds like Earth, where a dominant species was claiming mastery over everything else, just like they did. They weren’t about to let another planet die, so they decided to intervene. On some worlds they tried the subtle approach; on others they tried the direct approach.

  “On Earth, they noted the abilities of humans, and the instinctive abilities of many of the animals. They decided to experiment with genetically merging different combinations of the two. They were aiming for a creature with all the benefits of self-awareness, but still with an instinctive desire to protect and maintain the Earth. They tried merging humans with horses, bulls, fish, goats…â€� she intensified her gaze as she mentioned the next animal, “…and wolves…â€�

  Chris looked up with understanding as he suddenly remembered a specific phrase Ray used earlier.

“Of course! ‘Elusive creatures of myth and legend,’ just like Doc – I mean, Ray, said! Centaurs, Mermaids, Minotaur… and werewolves!�

  Julie refreshed her smile.

  “What about vampires?â€�

  “Well, yes, but they were considered a failed experiment. The vampires that weren’t exterminated died off quickly. Vampires no longer exist, just like Centaurs, Satyrs, and the Minotaur.â€�

  “Loch Ness Monster?â€�

  “I think that was more of a sub-experiment.â€�

  “Chupacabra?â€�

  Julie grimaced. “That isn’t from us. It isn’t a real animal at all, from what Dep:118 has found.â€�

  “How about Bigfoot, then?â€�

  “Yes, he’s one of ours, but he didn’t thrive. You see, Chris, the problem was that most of the creations didn’t take very well. Nearly all the ones that survived beyond a few generations were hunted down by humans, and then added to their mythologies and songs. Others stayed alive by keeping hidden, but didn’t progress beyond a handful of individuals, like Bigfoot. Only one kind actually flourished: your people, the Hybreed.â€�

  “So… your people ended up creating mine so that we could protect and maintain the Earth in replacement of humanity, because they knew humanity would end up leaving that… that calling?â€�

  Julie smiled. “Yes.â€�

  Chris leaned back in his chair and sighed in astonishment, unable to stop the laugh of scrutiny from passing his lips. Then, a new thought suddenly occurred to him.

  “Wait a minute; do my people know about this?â€�

  “I think so, but I can’t be sure.â€�

  “Why not?â€�

  Ever so slightly, Julie squirmed in her chair. “We’ve tried to talk to your people several times over the years, and every time we did, they began worshipping us. We hate that. Since your people kept trying to venerate us, we stopped trying to contact them directly.â€�

  An abrupt, disturbing thought crossed Chris’ mind. “Now, hold on; you’re not expecting me to become some sort of prophet or a messiah or something, are you?â€�

  “Not in any way, shape or form,â€� Julie assured him. “Like I said, we don’t want to be worshiped, so we don’t go for prophets or messiahs acting in our name. In fact, we usually stop them one way or another if they appear.â€�

  “Then what’s the point in telling all this to me?â€�

  Julie took a breath and composed herself, then continued.

Last edited by Grayle (2008-04-25 19:18:27)

Thank you so much for your compliments, your encouragement, and your proofreading, Punx. I can't tell you enough how much I appreciate all of it. As to the explanation, I wasn't sure it would work at first, but it seemed to look good on paper (another obscure joke). I certainly hope it makes sense for the audience, too.
  This next segment is a little lengthy, but hopefully shows the magnitude, and perhaps the unbelievability, of the circumstances that Chris has fallen into.
-------------------------------------------------

  “There’s three reasons for that. One: you are hybreed, so you have the right to know about where you come from and why. Two: you haven’t been raised by your people; you’ve been raised outside of their beliefs. Especially with what you’ve learned from Dep:118, the odds of you falling into the worship trap are very unlikely. Third – and this is the one that not all of my people agree with – you could end up playing a pivotal role in stopping humans and hybreed from going to war.â€�

  “W-War?â€� Chris asked with a stutter. As if all the rest of this wasn’t unbelievable enough, now he might end up being ‘Werewolf Gandhi’?

  Apparently his trepidation showed on his face; Julie softened her expression and raised her arms disarmingly. “Look, Chris; if humans discover your people exist, and then find out why, they’ll fight to stop your people from taking that position. But hybreed aren’t about to surrender their instinctive calling, either; they’ll fight back. Given the abilities and technology of both sides, no one would win that war. We’re not asking you to be a prophet or messiah, but there may come a time when everyone will need you to be an ambassador between your people and humans. It doesn’t mean it will happen, but you should know up front that it might.â€�

  Chris looked in astonishment at Ray, who only nodded in confirmation. There was little doubt Julie was describing the same outcome of human panic that the two of them were discussing earlier. It was obvious that both Ray and Julie wanted to avoid that outcome, whether for the same reasons or not, and they seemingly wanted his help in doing so.

  As was his personal custom, Chris once again began to recap the current issues in his mind. For the last few years he had been trying to fit in, trying to figure out what he was and why he existed. Then, he was manipulated into discovering Dep:118, where they informed him that he was part of a secret werewolf society called the Hybreed. What’s more, they showed him that there were a lot more weird secrets living parallel to his abnormal life than he could have imagined. He met people with abilities that would lead to their ostracism outside these walls. But in Dep:118 they survived as a makeshift family, learning to understand other unexplained phenomena which the world outside these walls would shun as well.

  And now, a mis-named ‘Angel of Loneliness’ who was married to the Overlord of Dep:118 was telling Chris that her alien race made his people, intending for them to protect and maintain the planet. Not only that, but they were asking his assistance in preventing an inter-species world war!

  Despite his being an ‘elusive creature of myth and legend’ himself, further obstacles were in his path to acceptance. The Imperial ‘way of the world’ programming that he had received while growing up, which defined the world around him, was still fighting for control over the situation. It was telling him that all of this was bordering on the ludicrous, and encouraged him to refrain from believing it. Chris couldn’t hold the inclination back any longer. He discreetly pinched himself – no, it wasn’t a dream. He also remembered that it was September, not the first of April; even so, he scanned the room for any signs of a hidden camera pointed at him, yet found none.

  Suddenly he heard a high-pitched giggle, accompanied by a deep-throated rumble. It was a combination that was odd enough to make Chris look to the source. The source was Jake; he was laughing. When Jake caught Chris’ stare, he smiled that devious grin of his and shrugged helplessly.

  Welcome to our world, my friend, was the thought he put into Chris’ mind.

  With that particular thought from Jake, it became apparent to Chris that there were actually two worlds in existence. There was the world within the Empire, filled with its citizens and their day-to-day worries. And then there was the world outside of the Empire, which consisted of his own people, the Hybreed, and everything else on this planet – everything else in the universe, for that matter. For only a fleeting moment, Chris wondered which world he was going to be a part of; but after a quick recollection of his past, his gunshot wound, and then his living room, there was no real decision involved. Jake was actually welcoming Chris into the real world; one that, if Raymond Collins’ prediction was correct, would clash with the world of the Empire by way of his people’s exposure.

  Without even trying, Chris began to see places where he could fit into this larger world, places where he could make a difference. He didn’t know about the whole ambassador thing, but he was beginning to see that through this opportunity, and maybe even through Dep:118 itself, his life could mean ever so much more than it did as the Howler. However, he also realized that in order to take his place in this new world, he would need to close the door on the old one – at least for now.

  Even though that last thought held a twinge of desperation, it still brought a calm confidence to his demeanour, because now he had some idea where he could fit in, where he could belong. And at that moment, as the weeds of loneliness that plagued his existence began the process of withering away, his life began to spread its roots and take hold once again.