I stepped out from the shadows where I was hiding and unsheathed my claws. I had been waiting for my suspect for a while, and was almost tired of waiting. He had come into view however, and I started the hunt. Tonight was pretty much the same as the others. I had found him. I knew that he was wanted for a string of crimes. Crimes against children. This guy was a child molester. The very thought of the which made me want to disembowel him. I was not to do this however. My job was to merely subdue him and package him for the police.
As I got closer to my victim, I made sure that I was downwind of him, so he would not scent me. Occasionally, one of my targets would pick up my scent and take off. I got to within striking distance, and I waited a bit more until the time was right. At just the right time, I sprang and caught him square in the back, knocking him down. he went to scream, but I had him flipped over and a massive paw over his mouth before he could finish taking a breath. his eyes went wide with fear. I smiled at him, unsheathing my claws on my free paw. I scented the urine coming from him, and I knew that the smile had done the job. The guy fainted, probably from the fear of my eating him. I never had, and never will eat human flesh. The idea is repulsive, even to my base instincts. I picked him up, flung him over my shoulder, and went to the nearest police station. Before I dropped him at the station, I tied him up, left my usual note on him (a tiger paw), and knock on the door and ran off to a safe distance.
I went to the alley where I started, and I heard a voice. "Congratulations.
You've taken a dangerous and sick person off the streets."
"I would have rather disemboweled him Jacob, but I'll let the prison inmates do
that for me. It's a fitting punishment for him. The rapist becoming someone's bitch."
The voice stated, "That's fine and well. I've got another job for you as well,
but it's not due for a few weeks, so you'll have more time to get information on this
one."
"Fine. What is this one?"
"Well, this one is also a rapist. He preys primarily
on young ladies just older then 18."
"What is the method?"
"Any you like.
Dead or alive, the bounty is $10,000."
"OK. I'll take it." Send the information
to the usual address."
I went home, and shifted back to my human form. I normally slept by day, and hunted by night. "Home" this morning was a hotel at the edge of town. I slept in until about noon. I got up, dressed, and went to the mail box I kept in this town. There were two letters for me there, one with my pay, and the other with details of my next "job". I cashed the check, went back to the hotel. I read the details of the job, and got packed to go back to Madison, where this adventure began.
I gassed up the Harley as I left town, and leisurely drove it to Madison. My information stated that he was armed, so I made sure that I had ammo for the 44 Magnum. This was the gun that I got off the other creep, and it had saved my skin a few times, when my claws had failed me.
Night time, two days later
I was waiting in a tree. Tigers are natural tree climbers, and I had climbed up
earlier that night. I knew from my research that my victim committed his crimes within
a five mile radius of this area. I was merely waiting for him to show up.
When He showed up , he strolled near the tree, ultimately getting directly under me.
I quietly unsheathed my claws, and got ready to drop on him. I got the drop on him, alright.
The branch decided that having my 400+ pounds on it was more then it would handle, and
it broke quite loudly. Great, there goes the surprise. I cursed under my breath.
the victim started running, but I was a bit quicker. I leapt off the falling branch,
and just barely caught him on the back, clawing him rather well. I grunted in pain as I hit
the ground, and got up just in time to see him pull a gun out. I started to run at him,
dropping to four footed mode. He then turned and shot twice at me. I felt the first
bullet hit me and glance off my bone armor. The second bullet hit squarely on my fore-leg,
which blossomed in pain as the armor absorbed the impact. I streaked faster
at him, dodged one more shot, and leapt at him with my claws out.
I hit him with enough force to shatter his spine. he was quite dead when we hit the ground, and we rolled for almost a hundred feet, ending up against a wall in a bloody mess of broken human bones, flesh, and me. I realized that the police would show up shortly, so I started to run. I heard the dogs running after me. It was a trap. CRAP! I ran through the streets, and jumped into the cold waters of Lake Monona. Fortunately, tigers are also good swimmers. I managed to lose my pursuers, or so I thought. I made it to the far side of the lake, where there was five officers waiting for me. With tranquilizer darts.
I woke up in a cage, two officers pointing rifles at me, and a third one sitting in a chair.
"So, we have have the mighty 'Tigerpaw'. You gave us a hell of a good run Fuzzball. Fortunately for me, I got to you before the rest of the police. " Unfortunately for you, I got you first as well. Want to tell us what you killed an honest man for half-breed?"
Great. Fucking redneck cop. Since I didnt want this jackass to know the extent of what I could do, I shifted back to hybrid form. "I can't talk in my full form." A little white lie. "That man was wanted for quite a few crimes across three states. He was on the FBI's top 15 most wanted list. You call that honest?"
"You use that tone of voice on me again, and one of these officers will accidentally discharge his gun at you. And they are loaded with special armor Piercing bullets. These things will punch through a Tigerean's bone armor like butter. Me and my boys know this 'cause we've killed five or six of 'em in these parts."
Even better. a Xenophobe. Wonderful. How the hell was I going get out of this one? Fortunately, I was saved, or so I thought. the door boomed open, and a large and imposing man filled the doorway. He spoke in a deep, clear voice that sounded oddly familiar. "My name is Agent Smith with the FBI. I have a warrant for this creature." Rednecks tone, bad as it was, got worse. "Warrant my Ass! You can have this hairy excuse of a living thing after I'm done with him!" "You wanna bet? He's charged with federal counts. These counts take precedence, and after Uncle Sam is done with him, THEN, and ONLY THEN, will we give what's left back to you. and IF you don't like that, You can talk with my Boss." Redneck cringed under this assault. "All right, You can have him. But I want your bosses number. I'm a gonna have a chat with him. Let's see that warrant." "You do that. You won't have a problem with that." He threw the warrant down. "Your brother, the Judge, wrote it up himself." The cage was unlocked not even five minutes after that, and I was led out. After I was put in the car, Agent Smith got in.
"Well now, Tigerpaw. You gave the legitimate authorities the slip again." To my puzzled glance, he added, "Oh yes. The 'sheriff' back there won't be practicing law again for a while. The judge is going to fire him. This went too far."
"I see, Mr. Smith. Or is it Jacob?" The man chuckled. "Well, you do have a brain under all that fur. The agent gig is slightly real. I am a federal agent, just not for the FBI. And you are under arrest, in a way. You are not to leave my immediate control. Where is your hotel at? We have some business to discuss."
Great. Out of the Frying pan and into the fire. Jacob had never led me wrong before, so I figured I would at least humor him.