Free Shorts: The Furry Years by John Van Stry Page B

that was easy. I cheated."
    Jacob looked shocked! "You cheated? How on earth did you do that?"
    Harold laughed, "Oh, I asked somebody which way you liked to run, then just put myself between you and it. You just kept coming back to me."
    "Damn, I'm getting predictable in my age!" Jacob grumped.
    "I believe the Fox buys the first round?" He asked.
    "Yes, but the winner usually buys the next one," Jacob sighed mellowing.
    Harold chuckled and gave Jacob a pat, as they headed back to the club, deftly removing the tracking device he had planted when they had bumped earlier that morning before the hunt began. Who said that only foxes knew how to be crafty?

 
    Easy Money
    by John Van Stry
     
     
    "You okay?"
    "Unn, yeah. I guess."
    "You sure? You don't sound too good."
    "Really Kera I'm fine," I sighed whiskers twitching. "More or less."
    She sat up in bed and started to rub my neck.
    "If you're so fine why are you as tight as an Orangutan with a two week paycheck?" Kera purred in my ear.
    "Okay, so I'm a little tense," I admitted leaning back into her work. It felt good, but wasn't enough to break my glum mood.
    "Wanna talk about it?"
    "What's to tell? I'm broke and I can't find a job."
    "Bruce says you can work down at the Club whenever you want." She whispered, her own whiskers tickling at my ear.
    "Bouncing at the Silver Moon is not my idea of a high paying career," I chuckled.
    "But at least you'll have something," She chided nipping me. "Don't be so proud. What else is there right now anyway?"
    "True," I sighed. "But," I paused and flicked my tail in agitation, "ah hell Kera, I spent years going thru school and paying my dues. I think I'm entitled to something a little better!"
    I got up and grabbed my shorts.
    "Please stay Pen!" She said getting up and hugging me from behind. "It's late anyway and I really would like you to."
    I turned and nuzzled her, my muzzle rubbing up against the side of her face. "Sorry love, I need to think about this some."
    I could see her tail flick in agitation as I said it. "Really I'm sorry, I just need some time."
    "You better not take too much," She warned growling slightly. "I'm not going to wait forever Pen!" She sighed herself, tail lashing slowly. "I've never pressed you about your past and how much money you've got doesn't matter a damn to me.
    "I just want you, and I think you want me too. So why don't you just bury your pride and move in with me?"
    Why not indeed?
    "I'll think about it," I mumbled, my own tail lashing now.
    I slipped on my shorts, grabbed my vest and gave her a quick hug. "I'll stop at the Club tomorrow and talk to Bruce, Okay?"
    "Okay!" She smiled. Kera knew she was winning on points, even if I couldn't come out and say it.
    "Bye."
    "Bye."
    We kissed and gently butted heads. Then I turned and left.
     
    I slipped on my vest as I walked out onto the street. I felt the reassuring weight in the back settle against my spine just above my tail. It was cool out, but my winter coat still hadn't shed. So it felt good as I padded quietly down the street.
    What to do, what to do? It was a big question alright. Just what do spies do when they come in from the cold? When I told the agency I was quitting they told me I'd never work anywhere again. That they'd never let me be, never even let me work as an engineer.
    I'd laughed in their faces at the time.
    They hadn't been kidding.
    Every place I went turned me down. Oh not right away, usually I got past the second interview. But the offers never came. Always some excuse about 'Someone more qualified' or 'We restructured and filled it internally.' They were out there alright. Just watching.
    The worst part was last year. They came and offered me some work. I was so hard up I had to take it. Too many bill's from my lifestyle.
    As soon as it was done they canned me of course.
    "We don't trust you anymore Pen," they said.
    But they trusted me enough to do the job. Actually they really hadn't much of a choice in the matter, I was still