A New Level - (Closed for Led_Astray)

HotKittygirl

Literotica Guru
Joined
Apr 8, 2008
Posts
1,584
The sound came all too easily to the triangular ears trimmed with short ebon fur. They twitched in annoyance at the high pitched scream followed by a dull, crude laughter. They caused a low and sorrowful sigh to slip past the plush lips of Rayne, before they twitched involuntarily. Glinting eyes of a silvery gray, flecked with green, drifted up and fell all too easily upon the scene unfolding a few yards away. Delicate hands tensed before they released the sandwich she had been holding, allowing it to fall to the worn wooden table with a sick plop. She hadn’t been all too hungry today, the dull ache in the back of her head a constant reminder that she drank entirely too much the night before. It was a constant annoyance as well and only made that temper all the more volatile.

Rayne watched the scene unfold as it had time after time before. Those damn truck drivers thought they could do whatever they pleased simply because they worked for the Trucking Corp. They thought nothing of grabbing themselves a handful of a cute little GEL girl, after all who was going to stop them? Typically one of her kind could handle their own, a stern look and a none too subtle warning usually enough to keep them from playing grab ass again. Unfortunately, this time they had found a rather pathetic specimen of female, be in human or GEL. Bobbi was a tiny thing, petite and oh so pretty, her lupine features only adding to her otherwise adorableness. She was a hard worker and had a surprising endurance, though she was as meek as a old, beaten dog. She let people walk over her all too easily, especially those humans that were ‘above’ her.

With another mournful sigh Rayne pushed up from her seat and already wished she had smoked before she started her lunch. Slowly she rose from the old and rotten picnic table under a long dead tree; its branches had fallen down one by one and left a rotting corpse of a trunk. Rayne was a tall and slender woman, reaching near five foot ten with the thick heels of her steel-toed boots. Her frame was svelte and lithesome, that of a dancer’s yet there was a undeniable definition of the muscles in her bare upper arms. Her clothing was uninspiring and simple; a tanktop of a faded black, almost gray clung to her upper torso, straining against the modest bosom that heaved lightly with each breath. A thick belt and glinting silver buckle kept her rather snug fitting jeans in place, low on her narrow hips but not low enough to restrict movement. Rayne would have been a beautiful human woman, if somewhat on the slender side, if it weren’t for the rather obvious feline features that announced that she was a GEL. A pair of feline ears jutted from her close cropped raven mane, both laced with a fiery red. Accompanying those notable triangular ears was a thick feline tail that swished heavily behind her with each step she took, a thick black length tipped with a few traces of red as well. The tail was why she wore her pants so low on the hips, to give it free reign without her having to alter her attire (something she was rather horrible at).

Rayne was a GEL, that much was obvious, though not all of her feline attributes were as clear as the flicking tail. No one ever stated that there might be side-effects of going under the needle, though it was simple fact that more often than not things never went just as planned. The scientists always blamed it on the genetic material, at least the chances of some horrible mutation wasn’t something a potential customer had to worry about. Yet all the same, Rayne had more ‘gifts’ that weren’t so readily visible. Despite that lithesome figure, the GEL had a truly incredible strength that could put many linebackers to shame. Along with that near super human strength came a undeniable endurance. Rayne had always been a harder worker and her enhanced attributes gave her the ability to push herself even harder. Yet with such strength and stamina came another unique quirk; a rather high metabolism and the appetite to go with it. The svelte feline could easily put a Chinese buffet in the red with one trip and not gain an ounce. That in itself was a gift and a curse, most of her income went to paying rent and filling her two hollow legs.

That thick tail snapped out irritably behind Rayne once more as she strode towards the scene, just as another meaty hand grasped at Bobbi’s sweet little behind, causing the girl to yelp again and bat at the hand as she shirked away. She pleaded with the human to just leave her alone, though he just grinned and reached for her once again. Rayne was upon him before Bobbi could flinch, grasping the human’s wrist in her delicate, yet vice-like grasp.

She asked you nicely to fuck off,” She said in a low, husky murmur, her voice coming from low in her throat and rumbling with barely contained anger. The look in those steel gray orbs held little emotion, her face a mixture of calmness and anger all at the same time. The human faltered, surprised by the strong grasp he could not break free. The tone that came from this GEL also angered him, a blistering racial slur falling past his lips before he reached to smack her aside with his free hand.

His last mistake.

Rayne brought her free hand into his gut with a sickening thud that caused the few others watching the scene to cringe visibly. It was the only punch she threw and it was all she needed to. With a pitiful cry the man crumbled, clutching his stomach as he curled into a fetal position. As much as she wanted to slap that stupid grin off his face the feline had learned long ago to leave her bruises where they were hard to see and where there was less chances to break bones. Before she could even turn to see how Bobbi was handling it a thunderous voice resounded out from the open doors of the massive warehouse complex. Instantly she knew this was going to get out of hand, her ears folded flush against her head as she sighed loudly, her name called out harshly as another human came thundering up red in the face.

What in the hell are you doing?” The man screamed at the top of his lungs, a one Jacob Belker, her supervisor. Rayne squared her shoulders and met the glare of the human with her own.

He wouldn’t lay off Bobbi. I’m not goin’ sit around and watch another play grab ass because he thinks he’s better than us,” She said evenly, though there was no denying the anger that was threatening to boil over.

So you hit him?” The human shot an accusing finger at her and then the man. Rayne simply shrugged before she cast a glance towards Bobbi.

He swung at me first, didn’t he?” She said dryly, tucking her thumbs into her belt, that tail constantly flicking behind her in an annoyed and aggressive manner. The young pup of a girl nodded meekly before adding her voice in agreement to Rayne. The human simply shook his head and began to ramble off rules and regulations that Rayne simply didn’t care about; it wasn’t until he started to talk about firing her that those ears perked up.

Wait a god damn minute!” She snarled suddenly, the passion and anger coming to her typical low voice all too quickly. “You don’t have the authority to fire anyone, Belker!”

She said his last name with all do sarcasm, the light in those gray depths gleaming and in the right light appears almost green here and there. The situation was quickly growing out of hand as neither side seemed to want to be the first to back down. Already a crowd was growing, made up of both GELs and humans, taking up their respective sides in the argument.
 
From the other side of the efficiently laid out and near spotless loading dock, a pair of brown-green eyes watched the drama unfold. Their owner had been about to short across the bay himself when he had seen the trucker starting to molest one of the employees under his indirect supervision, but had seen Belker moving towards the scene himself and assumed the loading supervisor was going to deal with the matter. Instead he had given the trucker a thumbs up and a lascivious leer.

And so, the unseen watcher had stood, and stretched to his full height, a distinctly average 5 foot 8 inch. He brushed his large hands through his short brown hair made sure his ident badge was clipped securely to the pocket of his khaki workshirt - identifying him as David Adams, Junior Floor Manager. In spite of his lack of stature he still had a long stride and a fast pace, and he had made it half-way across the loading bay when he heard the scream. This had gone too far, now, and it was definitely time to get involved.

However, before David could reach the scene, he saw one of the other workers get involved. A very striking feline GEL. Striking? Stunning! She moved like a dancer, her hips swaying hypnotically, grabbing the trucker's arm and, when he tried to slap her away, giving him a beautifully aimed sucker-punch to the gut. A grin appeared upon his youthful yet handsome face as he slowed down, seeing the immediate issue over.

Oh, NOW he decides to get involved... thought David to himself, as Belker began bellowing at the young woman. A crowd began to gather, cutting off David's view of the scene, and he hurried over and began pushing his way through the crowd. Don't hit him, don't hit him... he prayed silently...

It wasn't easy to get through, given that most of the workers here spent their days involved in manual labour and were thus generally quite sturdy - such people tended to object to being shoved but a glance at the newcomer's ID badge soon made them back down.

“You don’t have the authority to fire anyone, Belker!” the young feline GEL snarled.

The angry supervisor was about to retort when a quiet but authoritative voice cut in.

"You are absolutely right, young lady. I, however do. And I'm on the verge of using it."

Everyone turned to look at the speaker in surprise. Mr Adams was relatively new to the workforce, he'd generally kept himself to himself, watching and learning rather than trying to force big new ideas on everybody. He was considered a bit of a non-entity, thus far.

Belker grinned at Rayne, smugly.

"Ditch the grin, Supervisor Belker." snapped David, with surprising force. "The person I'm considering firing is you! One of your responsibilities is the welfare of our employees and I'd like to see you explain how not only ignoring but actually condoning the sexual harassment of one of the staff under your supervision is supposed to contribute to her welfare."

Belkar began to bluster. "But sir, she's just a..."

"Finish that sentence and you are fired, Belker. Understand? I'm already giving you two demerits for your conduct here today. Not another word."

Angrily, the supervisor strode away, his heavy boots stamping noisily on the concrete floor.

"As for you miss. What is your name?" continued Adams, his face still dark with anger but his voice quiet and calm.
 
It was quite amazing, how that relatively soft voice (compared to the two literally screaming at each other) cut through the crowd like a hot knife through butter. Rayne grit her teeth as those steely orbs shifted to the right, watching the sea of humans and GELs parting to reveal Mr. Adams. That was all she knew about him, a human with brown hair and brown eyes, hell he wore brown. He barely said a word but was always polite yet in Rayne’s book that amounted to nothing. There was always a viper hidden just under the grass, ready to strike when one was least expecting. It seemed he had just been biding his time, waiting for the right moment to throw his weight around. The anger was evident in the female GEL, from the look upon her beautiful face to the way she stood, the stance one took when they weren’t sure if they had to fight or not. Her tail continued to snap out behind her, occasionally thumping against the pants leg of her worn jeans. Yet as angry and perturbed as Rayne looked the girl behind her looked out right terrified.

His words loomed thickly in the air, a threat that his relatively calm demeanor showed he wasn’t afraid to enforce. Of course it was directed at her, Rayne was all too familiar with the feelings on her kind by management. While they had rights and privileges just like any other sentient creature, good luck trying to find an honest man or woman to enforce it. Everyone knew a GEL was beneath a human, that was just how society had played it. Rayne had been here before and was sure it wouldn’t be the last time either. Yet the girl wasn’t about to go down without a fight, even as Belker sprouted his idiotic grin Rayne steeled herself for another verbal assault; her tongue could be quick sharp indeed.

Yet to the surprise of almost every person gathered, Mr. Adams set his ire upon his own kind. If Rayne was surprised, she tried not to show it outwardly. Those steel gray orbs filled with doubt though, her jaw saw set as she unconsciously ground her teeth. Belker was humiliated and worse yet, threatened with being let go on the spot if he continued with his obvious racial discrimination. It was like a stone falling into a still pond, the effect near tangible as it rippled through the air. There were murmurs of disagreement and some subdued chuckles and even a gasp or two, though Rayne heard little of it herself. No, her attention was locked intently upon this man, who probably made himself an enemy if not disliked by more than a few human workers. Those plush lips pursed briefly as he finally set his gaze upon her, though she didn’t feel flustered by it. She held his gaze easily, a look of uncertainty upon her cool features. Trust was something Rayne herself was in short supply of, rarely did a human do something for a GEL without some sort of compensation in mind.

Rayne,” She said, her voice quivering slightly as she tried to calm herself. The adrenaline still pumped through her veins and her breath came unevenly. Just what was he going to do? Reprimand her as well or threaten her with termination too if she kept it up? The svelte feline still held her defensive stance, much as she did against Belker. No...trust never came easy, especially when it involved a human...
 
"Rayne... and your last name?" Adams pulled out a small, sleek datapad that was connected wirelessly to the buildings network. "Never mind..." he said. "Looks like we only have one Rayne on the workforce."

He sighed. "It's like this, Rayne. I absolutely sympathise with your reasons for doing what you did. You stepped in to end a situation that should never have been allowed to happen..."

He looked over at the still shaken Bobbi, and shook his head, sadly. Then he turned back to Rayne, his eyes fixing on the cat-like GEL's, and not, to her surprise, roving over her body the way most guys did.

"But you struck that man. I don't doubt he deserved it, but corporate regulations say I have to publicly give you two demerits as well, to demonstrate that we do not tolerate violence in the workplace." He tapped the touch screen of the datapad a couple of times.

The company merit/demerit system was harsh. The number of merits or demerits an individual had not only indicated how close they were to a promotion - or to being fired - but was also used to calculate pay. Two demerits mean a noticeable drop in Rayne's monthly take home pay - and Belker's too, of course.

The humans in the crowd who had thought Rayne was getting off scott-free murmured happily. The GEL's who had been pleased to see Adam's come down on their side rumbled angrily.

Adams held his hands up.

"Its out of my hands. Now everybody get back to work, or you'll be docked an hours pay. Except you, Rayne and Bobbi."
 
It seemed her first instincts were dead on, those triangular ears twitched lightly as Adams went on answering his own question before she could. Then he signed and she knew it all down hill from here. Her face could have well been a mask with how much emotion it showed, though those steely eyes were something completely different. He started nicely enough though the inevitable ‘but’ loomed in the air like the razor sharp blade of a guillotine.

It struck her as sharply as a slap across the face and that stoic mask seemed to shatter. Her lips twitched and she bit down upon the bottom one, a hint of an elongated fang evident for the briefest of moments. She visibly tensed and her ears folded flat against her dark hair, yet for all of it she held herself together.

“It was all me. Bobbi shouldn’t have any blame over this,” She finally interjected though he had made no mention of the young pup. She hadn’t done a thing and unfortunately, it had come down to Rayne doing it for her. If she felt any animosity over it once more Rayne wasn’t letting on. She was just about to clear out with the rest them when those last few words caused her to halt. Bobbi still looked terrified, as if it had somehow been her fault. She meekly approached, her own fluffy, curled tail trying desperately to tuck between her thighs. Rayne raised a hand and let it rest gently upon Bobbi’s delicate shoulder, offering a gentle squeeze of support.

“More reprimands? If you’re going to preach more about it save your breath,” Rayne’s voice was smooth at the start, though it cracked lightly at the end as she tried to keep her emotions in check. If the GEL was relieved for not being fired on the spot she wasn’t showing it. She held that reserved look people gave when they weren’t quiet sure of the person they were talking to, defensive and ready to fight. Yet for all that attitude and bravado Rayne had been a model employee. She was never late, did her job above and beyond her duties, never went over on her breaks and was generally helpful. The one minor flaw she did possess was that smart mouth of hers, that and she didn’t take anything from anyone. Besides the occasional verbal assault on a co-worker this was her first offense, no doubt much to the ire of many of her human co-workers or higher ups.
 
"Right. First things first." barked Adams, but as the last of the lookie-lous moved out of earshot his voice softened and he looked at Bobbi kindly. His stern faced softened and so did his voice.

"Bobbi, are you OK? If you need to take 10 to get yourself back together, then please do - you won't get in trouble for it or lose any working-pay."

"Secondly, I'd like to reassure you both that that particular driver won't bother you again. I can't get him fired but I can - and will - request that he be never be assigned to deliver to us again."

He looked at the meek canine GEL, and as expected she didn't make much of a response beyond a small nod of her head before she scurried off to the ladies rest-room. He looked at the lithe feline GEL and, as expected, she met his gaze with a bold challenge.

"Thirdly - Rayne. As I said, my hands were tied. I had to reprimand you publicly and give you those demerits. And I cannot retract them. You are probably pretty pissed with me right now, and with the company, and you have every right to be."

The junior floor manager held up a hand to warn her not to interrupt. His body language exuded confidence and strength, in spite of the fact he wasn't particularly imposing physically.

Not that he was a weakling, and his work-wear didn't seem to be hiding the same layer of fat that, for example Belker carried. He looked pretty trim, in fact, more so than you would expect froma mid-ranking "suit".

His voice low, he finished his short speech.

"All I can say is this, Rayne. Stick it out. You are expecting your next pay-packet to suck, but don't quit over this, or let it get to you. Your record is excellent and I think you can do well here. I need somebody on the floor that is willing to look out for all of our employees, not just the pure-strain humans. That somebody clearly isn't Belker. Maybe its you?"

He gave Rayne an appraising look.
 
Rayne offered Bobbi a gentle squeeze once more before she hurried off to compose herself. She watched her go, those steely orbs wavering for but a moment; no doubt long enough for Adams to see. If Rayne was hard as nails it wasn’t because she wanted to be; someone had to be. The human’s assurances that the driver wouldn’t be bothering them again didn’t seem to interest her, after all if Rayne saw his face again all she would have to do was swell up on him to cause him to think twice. That single punch had been enough to bring down a full grown man, someone didn’t easily forget that.

One ear twitched lightly as he continued, there came more of the speech, like he had a right to tell her how she could feel. Those plush lips pursed sharply as she took a breath, finding her hands balling into fists at her sides. Consciously she stuffed them into her jeans pockets, shuffling her feet and kicking at a loose rock. That tail snapped out behind her, those steely eyes glinting in the sunlight brightly. She met his gaze easily, though the emotions shone proudly within those gray depths. They only seemed to grow before she finally spoke, her tone soft but there was no denying the anger.

I don’t need your deals. Your promises aren’t going to pay my rent or put food on my table. I didn’t do what I did to show off to anyone, let alone you. You’re new enough here, you really think someone like me is going to fill Belker’s shoes?” She glanced off to the side as she spoke, only to meet his gaze once more. She emphasized the word ‘me’, obviously she wasn’t indicating her sex or attitude…no…they both knew just what she meant. “I punched that fucker. And I will do it again. Things don’t change. People don’t change. You can’t fix it.”

She finished with a few sort sentences, the wind picking up suddenly sending a few raven strands out over her face, she might be considered beautiful if she didn’t scowl so much. “Can I go now, sir? The trucks won’t unload themselves.”
 
"Not yet."

Adams snapped back, just as firmly.

"I don't want you going back to unloading trucks straight away. Bobbi would never admit to me that she isn't perfectly fine, but she will to you. Go and make sure she is alright, and neither of you go back to work until she is, understand? You don't portray yourself as somebody who cares but if you didn;t, why would you have gotten involved?"

He met Rayne's gaze, his own glare as unblinking as her own. For all his unassuming appearance he appeared more than able to meet the firey cat-girl's stare without backing down. He smiled thoughtfully.

"And would you have hit him? If you'd had the authority to crush him with words, would you have felt the need to use your fists? You'd never have let it get that far in the first place, is what I think."

"Think about it Rayne." he added, and turned to leave. Then he looked over his shoulder.

"And I almost certainly don't need to say this, but I will anyway. Watch your back. Belker doesn't seem to be the type to back meekly away from this. He's going to try to get you in trouble..."
 
She braced herself for another speech, another pointless phrase or two she didn’t care to listen to. Yet he surprised her, that much was evident by the way her ears twitched one cocking back slightly. She met his gaze easily enough, though even now there was a heavy dose of skepticism. Her lips twitched as if she would say something though the GEL had nothing to say really. Adams had found it easy enough to fill the void her silence left and he departed with a question and a few words of warning.

Just what would Rayne have done if she wore the badge with a real job title on it? The thought had never occurred to her, truthfully. It was just something that would never happen or at least Rayne had assured herself of. Slowly the feline shook her head, her bangs falling about her brow, tickling at her lips before she simply turn and slid off. Her heavy boots crunched the light gravel of the trail that lead back to the concrete of the driveways. Her hands stuffed themselves full into the tight pockets of her jeans as she walked up the small flight of stairs that lead to the building proper. She walked past pallets stuffed with boxes and magnetized, automatic pallet jacks. Many were already back on the job, hefting boxes on and off trucks, wrapping pallets in shrink wrap and hauling them off. A few shot her glances, some with smiles and others sneers. Rayne made little notice of either though, she was too deep in thought to really focus. By instinct she made it to the bathrooms, pushing the door open with a forearm and emerged to sniffles and sighs.

Bobbi stood before mirror of one sink, dabbing her eyes now and then with rough paper towels from the dispensers. She instantly took note of Rayne, turning her large brown eyes upon her and offering a weak smile. She was a lovely young girl, a bit short but with curves that Rayne could never hope to afford. She was a looker, even in her jeans and baggy button down shirt. That curled fluffy tail offered an instinctive wag at the sight of her friend.

Rayne herself faltered at the sight, now alone with Bobbi that stoic look washed away and she offered a weak smile, as if it were hard to show anything but. “You okay sweetie?” Her voice was soft, with a slight huskiness to it. Bobbi offered a gentle nod, sniffling a bit more before she spoke.

I just…it got out of hand quickly. I thought you were going to get fired for sure…I…” She began and her voice caught in her throat. Rayne offered a slight shake of her head, closing the distance between the two and enveloping the shorter girl in her surprisingly strong embrace. “Girls like us gotta stick together. Dun worry. It’s all good. That new guy seems to think he did me a favor.”

Well, you still got a job,” Bobbi said against her shoulder, returning the welcome affection before drawing back, her ears perking as she gazed into Rayne’s gaze, which now oddly seemed more green than gray. The feline obviously didn’t want to hear the truth though, her nose wrinkling and her ears folding against her head.

We’ll see. C’mon. Let’s get back to work. Tonight’s karaoke at The Meow, remember?” She tried to sound cheerful, though it just sounded odd coming from her. Regardless Bobbi nodded with a weak smile and headed towards the exit with Rayne on her heels.
 
The rest of the day passed without incident for David, though he made a point of keeping a close eye and a noticeable presence in the loading dock.

Of course, this meant seeing more of the stunning feline GEL, but he was very careful not to stare. The last thing he wanted was for her to think that his interest in her was all about getting into her pants.

Not that they wouldn't be incredibly fun to get into... he thought to himself, but that was besides the point. He scrolled though her employee record again and shook his head sadly. She was a model employee. Never late, never abusing breaks, and this was the first time she had ever received any Demerits. Although there were, he could see, a number of complaints lodged about her by Belker... all of which had been found groundless but borderline enough - and spread among enough different managers - that Belker hadn't earned a reprimand for trying to victimise the poor young woman.

If she wasn't a GEL she'd have been promoted by now, for certain...

Deftly he tapped instructions into the datapad. The most recent entry on Rayne's employment record was, of course, the two demerits he had been required to issue. Payday was a week away, and those two demerits would set her pay for the entire month worked, meaning she would lose a significant amount of money. He had spoken the truth in saying that he couldn't erase them, and hated the injustive of the situation.

But I can offset them somewhat...

Code:
Insert: Two Merits:  Acting at risk to self to prevent harm to another employee, in situation not arising from actions of either employee.

There. That would cancel out the two demerits. They would remain on her record but at least her pay would be the same this month as it was the month before.

Or maybe...

Code:
Insert:  Merit:  Exemplary work maintained over a 6 month period

David leaned back. Having no access to the corporate database herself, Rayne wouldn't find out about the extra merits - and thus, the pay increase rather than decrease, until payday in 6 days time. He couldn't help but wonder how she would react when she found out.
 
Rayne went about her duty as if nothing had happened. The job wasn’t easy, even for one that had what could be considered a superhuman endurance. The warehouse was open to the elements to a degree and thus nothing but large industrial fans were there to cool them. She had dawned her customary black bandana that kept her hair from her eyes and the thick, fingerless leather gloves. Before the first truck was unloaded a fine sheen of perspiration clung to that pale flesh of her arms and face, her tail swayed in perfect unison with her own movements. It wasn’t hard to notice Adams making his presence known, though if he was looking her way Rayne paid no mind. She didn’t get paid to think and like she said, the trucks didn’t load themselves.

By quitting time Rayne was exhausted, as she always was. The last pallet was loaded up and the trailer’s roller door slammed shut. Rayne enjoyed a cool drink of water silently as the rest chit chatted amongst themselves. Just as she knew Adams was making himself know she felt the daggers Belker was staring at her from time to time. Yet nothing came of it, at least today. People clocked out and made the long walk to the parking lot in their customary groups. It was at these moments Rayne would partake of her filthy habit. A slender cigarette was drawn out as well as her old time zippo lighter. Gracefully she flicked it open one handedly before it was brought to her lips, lighting the cancer stick before snapping it closed. She puffed lightly, taking a drag and inhaling the smoke before releasing it with a sigh. It was in that moment she felt relaxed, if only for a moment. Heavy heels crunched against the concrete as she approached her ride, truly the only thing she could think of that wasn’t completely practical.

While she never had the cash for a brand new car Rayne had managed to scrap and save enough to purchase herself a used motorcycle. It was the crotch rocket kind of bike, one that went stupidly fast for no reason. It was one of the few things that Rayne opened showed what some might consider ‘love’ for. Her right hand slid out over the chipped and worn paint job, still black even if it was faded by the sun. The seat was torn and patched up, the outline of a long faded sticker still on the back fender.

How is my baby?” She said lightly, the cigarette jostling between her lips as she spoke. The others parted ways, saying their goodbyes. Rayne waved lightly as they left, leaving her to finish her smoke astraddle the bike, her steely gaze drifting off towards the massive skyscrapers of the inner city, where those that had money never touched the earth. She couldn’t help but wonder what it was like, to live in the clouds and not have a single care in the world. The thought brought far too much emotions to the surface, memories that were best left forgotten. They were from a different life, a different time when Rayne was a brainless girl with hopes and dreams. Sharply Rayne inhaled, drawing another bout of smoke into her lungs before she released it in a billowing cloud, letting it drift off into the light breeze.
 
David waited around until all off the people who knew him in his role of Junior Floor Manager had left, then headed inwards to the elevators. Alone, he slipped a different ID card from his pocket, flashed it up to the security scanner, then rode the elevator down to the executive garage.

He was thinking about what had happened today. Belker was likely to cause trouble, which was a pity - he was actually quite a good supervisor except for his prejudice against GELs. Perhaps he could be bumped upwards, to a department that didn't have any? Not an ideal solution but more likely than being able to break the man's prejudice - especially since prejudice against GELs was not currently covered by any laws.

And Rayne! Hard working, intelligent (according to the corporate aptitude tests) and of course very physically attractive. he wondered what had driven her to become a GEL, and shook his head sadly. That - and her temper- were the only things holding her back and it was a real shame to see such talent go to waste. He hoped she could hold out till the end of the week and see how much the company valued her.

He stepped out into the secure underground parking area that was for the exclusive use of the higher ranking members of the corporation. As a "Junior Floor Manager" he had no right to be there but that didn't seem to matter. He walked over to where his bike was parked, a 1994 classic over 50 years old. The Roush Industries Vincent Black Shadow was a true work of art, and an expensive one... very few had been made, and their price had shot up over the years. It was David's one real extravagence.

Swinging a leg easily over the monocoque chassis, he patted the carbon-fibre gas-tank affectionately. Taking the helmet from where it had hung over the handlebars, he slipped it on and then turned over the 130 horsepower V-twin engine. The LCD gauges lit up as the engine roared into life and he rocked the bike off its stand and cruised up the exit ramp.

Of course, the city traffic meant that he couldn't open the throttle up the way he really wished to, and so he was doing a sedate 30mph when he rolled past Rayne, too focused on the road ahead to notice her.

There was no way she could miss him though, and in spite of the full face helmet, he was easy to recognise.
 
The rumble of a motorcycle engine caused her ears to perk unintentionally as she sat astride her own bike and savored one of the few things Rayne let herself enjoy. It wasn’t something out of the norm really; a lot of people had bikes, so she didn’t pay it much mind. It wasn’t until the sound came closer and closer that Rayne realized it wasn’t just another street bike, no, it sounded too well tuned and even. She turned her head to the side, those steely-green orbs flicking over her shoulder as the familiar figure rode by on a bike that no doubt cost more than hers ten times over. She didn’t need to see his face to recognize the brown clothing; the very sight caused her stomach to clench as the anger set in. She should have known, the thought came to mind as she found that even her cigarette brought nothing but a bitter taste. With a disgusted snort she flicked the still smoldering cigarette into the wind, before she throttled the engine and set off down the road in her own direction.

The night did much to make Rayne forget about the day’s events, the drink and song flowed and for a brief moment Rayne ‘let her hair down’. While she never had a voice for it she still sang her heart out, a rare sight which was only enabled by copious amounts of alcohol. Even the dull ache of a well deserved hangover did little to ruin the day; at least that was until the rumor mill started its work.

All the best kept secrets were known within minutes, even with the racial divide between humans and GELs. Belker made sure that Rayne knew, with a smug smile and a superior look in his eye. He went so far as to pretend to ‘apologize’, though his tone was nothing but smug and the look in his eyes made it clear he didn’t mean a god damn word of it. He even told the raven haired GEL he was having a little party to celebrate his promotion and she was invited, even if she didn’t have the proper papers and ID required to get into that part of town. That smile as he left almost sent Rayne off, it took all of Rayne’s willpower not to club him over the head with an empty pallet. She settled for a few punches with all her might against that old and dead tree near the smoking area, the sharp resounding crack of splintering wood echoing about the warehouse.

If it hadn’t been for Bobbi, Rayne might just have called it quits. The slender lupine GEL had seemed meek and terrified when the driver had tried to grab her goodies, though to Rayne she was a voice of reason. The not too subtle point that Belker wouldn’t be directly above them had been lost on Rayne, it took a few cigarettes and Bobbi’s gentle words for it to fully sink in. Yet it did nothing to quell her inner turmoil, that rage that seethed just under the surface. Every time she saw Adams, she felt that clutching grip in her stomach all the more. It was a pity really; Rayne just couldn’t see the truth even when it was in front of her sometimes.

But just as she had been there for Bobbi, the sweet little lupine was fully intent upon paying her debts. Yet Bobbi bid her time and waited until pay day. Shortly before the end of the day Bobbi made it a purposeful to find David while he was on the floor though not within earshot of the others.

Uh…Mr. Adams. David?” She said in a soft, yet sweet tone. Bobbi was beautiful in her own right, she had those big, liquid eyes that you could get lost in, her cheeks round and her lips full. The pointed ears and curled, fluffy tail only added to her adorableness. “I just wanted you to know I appreciate all you’ve done for us. Rayne is too proud and too thick headed to realize it…but I know.”

Her smile was genuine, her voice sincere before she took a glance around and continued, “We’re having a get together tonight. You ever hear of The Cats Meow? It’s a karaoke bar near 8th. Its neutral ground, everyone’s welcome. I’d like it if you could make it…I know Rayne would too.”

Ah she was a crafty one, there was no denying that look from time to time. It wasn’t a subtle move, though one that Bobbi felt she had to make. Sometimes Rayne was just too hard assed for her own good.
 
It had not been the best of weeks.

Since learning of his promotion, Belker had been insufferably smug, as if he were being rewarded for his actions. David grinned to himself. He probably thinks the demerits have been cancelled - or never even enacted. He's going to have a bit of a shock when he sees his paycheck this month. The promotion wouldn't kick in till next month and the pay rise that came with it would, in fact, only bring him back up to his pre-demerit level.

Still, the turmoil caused by Belker's deliberate indiscretion had made the week more difficult than it should have been. Rayne had been deliberately avoiding him, too which had made it impossible to broach the subject of promotion with her - he wanted to talk to her discretely, not have her summoned to his office, but she had made a real effort to be elsewhere - or extremely busy - whenever he had passed by on her side of the loading bay.

Ah well, perhaps she'll be more willing to talk when she sees her paycheck this month... he thought. In the meantime, he'd have to take on Belker's responsibilities himself until he could put the promotion through.

His musings were interrupted by the approach of Bobbi. Unlike Rayne, she had always been around when he had come looking, and he had to admit she was equally physically attractive. She was a good worker, too, though nothing like as able as her feline friend.

He considered the offer carefully. Ostensibly he was part of the loading bay team, so it would not be out of place for him to attend. And I might get the chance to talk to Rayne about the promotion... he thought to himself.

"Oh? I haven't done anything that any good manager wouldn't have done to keep things running smoothly around here, but I like that you have noticed what I am trying to do." He gave the young canine GEL an almost shy grin.

"Its very good of you to invite me, Bobbi. Thank you, and I will see you there."
 
The plan was set, the pieces were in their places and preparing their moves, Bobbi almost wanted to grin evilly and rub her hands together. But in front of David she simply smiled sweetly and nodded.

Alright then. See you around seven. Dress causally!” She started and finished, her last comment more of an after thought than anything. She slipped off with her tail wagging and a devious snicker under her breath.

But even the best laid schemes of mice and men (or GELs in this case) oft go awry. David was easily positioned piece, not that he really needed manipulation. Rayne on the other hand, oh dutiful and fiercely protective Rayne. She erected that stout shield of indifference laced with barely concealed contempt swiftly and held in in place far longer than any other. Those steely orbs seemed preoccupied and the feline made sure to be somewhere else when Adams made his rounds. It would be for the best, time would wash away that seething animosity and things would return to normal. The looming fact that Rayne’s check would be even more inadequate than normal did nothing to help the feline. While she had little to pay for it was difficult to keep herself sated even with the most well planned out grocery shopping spree. While she knew she would manage it was not a promising prospect in the least.

Rayne made it through the day regardless of her own inner turmoil (most of it self imposed). The rest of the day and the night was her own and Bobbi reminded her that it was party night, not that she really needed to be reminded of such. The prospect of the weekend began to lighten her mood somewhat too, at least she wouldn’t have to see Belker’s fat, smug face for a few days. She waited as patiently as she could in line for her cheek, an always tedious affair. How many times did she have to spell her name to the same dull-eyed human? It wasn’t exactly a hard name to spell out though Rayne had a feeling the corpulent personnel worker just liked watching her squirm.

As predicted Rayne spelled out her name, drawing it out in utter contempt to make sure the women with the bad dye job knew she would have rather been spelling out go die in a fire. She snatched up her check and stomped out of the office, her boots echoing loudly behind her. That thick black tail tipped with red snapped out behind her dangerously as she made her way to the parking lot and her afternoon cigarette. Idly she tore open the envelope containing the paper stub, girding herself for the substantial loss in profit that would be displayed in black ink. Slowly she came to a stop before her old and worn bike, her tail flicking out and her ears twitching in confusion. Those gray-green eyes blinked once, twice, as if what she was seeing could somehow be cleared up by such. But no, it remained, there was some kind of problem here. Instead of getting less than normal she had a substantial increase, someone had as Rayne would put it “done fucked up”. She stormed back to the personnel office and said as much, to which the fat lady said it was indeed the correct amount.

It didn’t click in her mind till she returned to her bike and heard the rumbling engine of another approaching.

Him.

Rayne felt a sudden cold chill of anger ripple through her stomach and into her limbs. It had to have been that little prick, did he think that he could play her like this? No doubt he thought himself pretty smart for pulling thing off, she wondered why he hadn’t tried to get his ‘reward’ for giving her this little bump in pay. She’d sooner twist his head off like a bottle cap, she couldn’t control the animalistic snarl that came from her throat before she screamed at him in his passing.

It was to no avail, the rumble of his engine and that thick, protective helmet did much to shield even her bestial scream. He wasn’t going to get away from her that easy though, before Rayne’s mind full registered what she was doing she was on her bike and gunning the throttle, nearly throwing her bike into a wheelie in the process. The crotch rockets engine whined as she burned through her fuel, tearing down the asphalt and kicking up debris. She easily caught up to the man who was doing a pedestrian speed, the sudden rush of air and the growl of her engine catching up to him before she jerked the handles and spun her bike. Her handling was precise and stunning, the light of the fading sun catching in her steely gaze as it settled upon David, filled with malice. She cut him off and gave him no room to move, he had to stop or pull off onto the side of the road into the grass. Rayne was off her bike before its engine could full shut off, her hair a wild mess and her look one of murder.

Just what the fuck do you think this is?” She spat at him with venom, any semblance of calmness all but gone. She was angry and it showed, the envelope was whipped from her back pocket and flung in his face before she continued. “You’re not better than fucking Belker! At least he is honest. You think you can just fucking buy me off and then maybe I’ll bend over and let you stick it wherever you want?! Go fuck yourself!

She looked as if she were going to haul off and hit him, the sleek muscles in her arms tensed and trembled and the vein in her neck looked like it was about to pop. Yet for reasons she wasn’t entirely sure of she didn’t snap (at least entirely). She wanted him to admit it before she smashed his face it, any logic thought of keeping her job or even her freedom didn’t matter at the moment. She wanted to hear it from his lips before she ripped them off his face.
 
The rest of the day passed smoothly. Rayne was still avoiding him, of course, but that didnt prevent her from doing her Job. Belker made a point of saying good bye and good luck to all the humans in the loading area he was leaving, and excluding the GELs, but that was to be expected.

At the end of the day, David watched carefully as Belker collected his paycheck, ready to intervene if there was any trouble but the smug supervisor didn't even bother checking it before leaving for the day. Content that things were going smoothly, he slipped away to the executive carpark again, mounted up on the 1000cc motorcycle that he loved so much, and rode out up into daylight.

Cruising calmly along with the flow of traffic, David was shocked as a bike overtook him and cut him off, and he came to a sudden halt. His days of corporate anti-kidnap training came back to him and he reached for the slimline taser he kept in a pocket when he recognised the figure leaping off the bike.

"Rayne?" he said, incredulously. And then she went for his throat, verbally at least. In spite of himself, he felt himself growing sexually excited - she was a stunning young woman and even more so when angry. Why had he not had such thoughts bout her before?

He held up his hands in a gesture of surrender and then unbuckled his helmet, lifting it from his head slowly, buying time. The bike was still rumbling between his legs and he reached forwards and killed the engine. Better not dismount though, if she sees the bulge she caused between my legs there is no way she is going to believe me...

"I think its a paycheck..." he said quietly. "A paycheck that probably surprised you. This isn't the reaction I was expecting, though, though perhaps it was naive of me to think I'd be giving you a reward you had earned, rather than some kind of payment for... future services."

He shook his head, feeling foolish, then met her gaze firmly.

"Will you let me explain before you try and kill me?"
 
Last edited:
She should have waited for him to take off his helmet before throwing something in his face, it lost a certain effect her way. But at the moment it was quiet clear she wasn’t thinking rationally, if she was she probably wouldn’t been screaming so fiercely (or at all) at the man who could fire her at the drop of a hat. Such simple and easy logic was lost on the dark haired beauty, the light in those steel orbs brilliant and at this closeness David could easily see that they weren’t entirely that cool gray color but mixed with green. His quick thinking did save him some though, the sight of his arousal would no doubt send her into an even more fitful rage (if that was possible).

Reward? You smug little fucker I outta rip out your fucking tongue,” She snarled and took a step closer as if she were going to follow through with the threat. She only partially heard his sentence, simply jumping on of the first words she heard before waiting for him to finish.

Yet before she could do anything further she caught the look in his gaze and found nothing she thought she’d expect. If he was guilty he wasn’t showing it, no mere manager should be that good at concealing his emotions. His next words did much to buy him some time as well, logic met rage and caused it to falter.

For some reason she found it in the back of her mind that he had green in his eyes as well, she had always thought they were just brown. Rayne faltered for the moment, though she didn’t seemed pleased with the prospect. She simply let out a thundering growl and swiftly turned from him. Her fist snapped out as it had before, quick and fierce as it landed a solid punch at a nearby speed limit sign, a loud resounding thud of metal echoing about her. The pole gave way, bending at an odd angle from the punch and pointing its sign down instead of out straight.

Explain then. Now,” She demanded of him, her chest heaving with each breath she took and those green-gray eyes held his own intently. She had vented a bit of her rage and found it in herself to resist her primal urges, at least for the moment.
 
God, she really is stunning... Thought the young exec to himself, his eyes drawn to Rayne's heaving breasts in her tight top. He quickly looked away before she could notice - he hoped.

Swinging his leg over the beautiful bike in one smooth movement, David stepped forward to pin the feline GEL's fallen paycheck to the floor with his foot before the wind from passing traffic could take it, and then bent to pick it up.

He deliberately fumbled for a moment, wishing the hardness in his groin away so that he could stand without embarrassment. She's stronger than I thought... I'm glad she chose to take it out on the sign, not me...

Then he stood, and unfolded the slip fully.

"You got paid more than you expected to, and that - for some reason - makes you angry. I can't pretend to understand why - perhaps one day you'll be calm enough to explain. But it made you angry enough that you didn't even bother reading the merits/demerits section of the slip... am I right?"

He looked up from the slip to find that Rayne wouldn't meet his eyes. He took that as confirmation that he had guessed correctly.

"Now, we know about the demerits already. Neither of us are happy about those, but I bet you still think you did the right thing and I can't disagree. Now let me read out the merits..."

He grinned - a friendly grin, genuinely open rather than mocking or smug. "In fact, Rayne, I'll make a bargain with you. There are three merits here. I'll read them out, one by one. Every time I read out one you honestly didn't earn, you get a free punch. Its just you and me, I won't tell anyone if you hit me... deal?"

If she wasn't going to be working directly under my supervision for the next few weeks, I'd maybe ask for a kiss every time she agrees she did earn it... He shook his head slightly But that'd be a damn fool thing to do, from a professional standpoint... and even if it wasn't, she'd probably kill me...
 
Last edited:
If Rayne was anything at the moment, she was furious. The idea she was beautiful, stunning, and alluring was something that wouldn’t cross her mind even if it wasn’t so preoccupied. The inner workings of men and women were so very different at times and to throw the whole new creation of a genetically enhanced lifeform no doubt only made it that much more complex. Feline ears twitched lightly as Rayne stood before the man, even as he swept off the bike and bent to snatch up the check she had all but forgotten. His clothing did little to show Rayne just what lay underneath though it was obviously enough there wasn’t a beer gut being hidden or a pair of chicken legs. He moved with purpose it seemed, until he fumbled to pick up the folded piece of paper; thankfully the GEL was too distracted to note any bulges or discomfort he might be experiencing. If anything she would attribute it to the moment, the confrontation and the rage.

“Explain? Why else would you be fluffing my check if you weren’t expecting a quick fuck? Your type is so transparent—“ She began again, her voice rising and the anger returning, even as he proceeded to unfold the paper one step further, to a part of the paystub Rayne rarely glanced at. Those steely gray orbs narrowed slightly as he began, speaking of demerits and for a moment Rayne thought he was going to provoke her with a sarcastic comment or something to that affect. Yet he went on, speaking of merits before he grinned stupidly.

No, it wasn’t stupid, not really. There was something easy about it, not the typical smug look she had seen on Belker or anyone else. But at the same time it seemed too friendly, too easy for the suspicious feline. Her tail snapped out behind her and she snorted sharply. He wanted a deal? A bargain that Rayne couldn’t resist. The speed limit sign was dented and twisted, though Rayne already felt she wanted to hit something again.

“Fine,” She said darkly, her fingers curling slowly before she brought them before her and cracked her knuckles one by one. “Three punches. I won’t hold back…”

She easily envisioned the trucker she had brought low with just one punch. It was no something she was proud of, though a little voice in the back of her head whispered otherwise.
 
"Ok... " David couldn't help but wince at the thought of being hit by those fists. But hopefully...

"Two Merits: Acting at risk to self to prevent harm to another employee, in situation not arising from actions of either employee."

He cocked his head to one side.

"So... did you or did you not earn those when you stepped in to help Bobbi? Knowing you could be fired? Risk isn't always physical..."
 
“Well…” She began and for the first time the doubt was clear in her voice, the anger flickering for but a moment before it began to dwindle. The name Bobbi struck a sharp cord, the adorable little lupine that was a good friend, though if Rayne knew just what she had been doing behind her back she might think otherwise. Rayne was nothing if not a fiercely loyal friend; the doubt wavered in her green-gray gaze as she peered at him. It made no sense, she wanted to call bullshit and snatch up that paper to read it for herself. But why would he lie? It wasn’t as if could escape her, at least physically. David no doubt saw the conflict in her eyes, her face for that brief moment before Rayne steeled herself once more.

“Why? Why would you even bother? Yeah I did it…I stood up for Bobbi and I would do it again. But you…you’re human. You didn’t make any friends standing up for us. And if it ever gets out yer giving merits for GEL’s standing up for their own…what’s in it for you?” Her voice still held the doubt that began to gather in her eyes. He had to have an ulterior motive.
 
"What's in it for me?" laughed David. "Oh, that's easy. You are far and away the best employee we have on that loading bay. Never a day sick, never a day late, never abuse you breaks, and not one of the many, many complaints Belker has made against you has ever stuck."

He shook his head.

"I'm a company man, through and through, Rayne..." more than you'll ever know... "...and losing you would be bad for the department, and bad for the company. Simple as that."

David stepped forward, forgetting, for a moment, the danger he could still be in, as the belief in his next words made him meet Rayne's eyes earnestly.

"Plus - what was taking place behind those crates was basically rape - and rape that was being condoned by the company, in the form of Belker. You stopped it... that's worth more than 2 merits as far as I am concerned, but 2 was the most I could give for one act."

He smiled a little, self-mocking smile and gave a half-shrug.

"So.. you still have one chance left to punch me. Ready? Merit: Exemplary work maintained over a 6 month period."

Again, he cocked his head, questioningly.

"You going to deny that? Any human with your record would have had that merit given months ago. You going to tell me you haven't earned it?"
 
It was just business, any fool could see that. Happy employees meant more productive employees, more productive employees meant more profit in the end. It was all amount numbers, all amount money; in the end it was always about money. For a moment Rayne seemed like she would accept the answer, the fire in those steely eyes wavering for but a moment. It wasn’t until he stepped forward that the anger returned. He words tore through her sharply and Rayne couldn’t help the rumble of anger in her voice.

“Yeah I stopped it and he was ready to fire me for it. So you give him demerits too and a promotion? Tell me what merits that fat fuck has ever gotten? No body likes him, even the dumb fucks that hang around with him don’t even like him.” Just another way to climb the corporate ladder, it seemed. Vividly the mental images assaulted her of that smug smile on Belker’s fat, sweaty face. He would wear that shit eating grin all the way up into the air conditioned offices that a GEL only saw when they were getting written up or fired. She barely heard the last merit, her mind was so clouded with thought and anger it wasn’t unti he cocked his head to the side that Rayne took full notice.

“Any human would my record would be wearing one of those pretty executive badges. But I’m not. You’re obviously not stupid so stop acting like it. I deserve a helluva lot more than what I’ve gotten.”

At this point Rayne wasn’t even sure what she was mad at directly. It had been David, then Belker, maybe just the situation or even life itself. It was always hard to hold onto things, Rayne had found out all too easily with the ‘freedom’ that came with being a GEL. The easier road had always been to just let it go and float away. But wasn’t that what got you here in the first place? A voice whispered in her mind. She hated that voice, that damn sound reasoning and logic. With another snort Rayne closed the gap between them and snatched up her paystub, folded it the wrong way and stuffed it into her back pocket.
 
"Yes you do... but you still havn't given me an answer on your promotion. For god's sake Rayne, I've been trying to talk to you all week and you've been avoiding me!"

Davids own frustration was beginning to show. Was there no pleasing this woman?

"As for Belker. Yes, it sucks. When it comes to his prejudice against GELs, hes a vile piece of shit that needs a good kicking. But outside of that he's actually a good worker, and a skilled supervisor. And whilst its absolutely bloody wrong, there is no legislation or company policy that I can wield against him over that prejudice."

The young managed folded his well muscled arms, and raised his eyebrows in a "what would you have done?" gesture.

"So I had a choice. Leave him in your department, where he would keep trying to screw over every GEL employee working under him - when it was only a matter of time before somebody got seriously hurt. Or promote him to an area that has no GEL employees." he said earnestly. Then, unexpectedly, he broke into a grin.

"I don't think he realises that the promotion pay rise will only just make up for the demerits. In fact, I suspect he thinks the demerits were cancelled. When he opens his paycheck, he's going to be even angrier than you were - I wish we could see his face."
 
Last edited:
His attitude was beginning to change, slowly but surely showing some frustration, his tone slipping along with his wording. It put Rayne off balance if only slightly, for some reason she found it rather endearing and cute the way he talked. And with that thought she wanted nothing more than to get away from here, she had no decent answer to anything he had to say, no witty come back that would smack the grin from his face. He did so like to smile and it came easily and gracefully to his lips. She never really gave him a good, honest look since they first met. Her initial inspection had proven adequate though the more she looked at him the more she found him down right pleasing.

The thought that she found him attractive made her even more frustrated over the situation. It was as stupid to think someone good looking would want anything to do with a GEL. She was nothing but a good kitty that did her job well. She deserved a treat now and then, a good scratch and it seemed a new collar every now and then. The very thought of a promotion made her feel panicked and that only added to the frustration and anger.

I didn’t ask for a promotion and I don’t want one. I’m not going to be your little puppet while Belker gets fatter. How long do you think those demerits are going to matter while he hobknobs with the suits? He kisses ass as good as he sweats. He’ll be sitting pretty soon enough…”

With that statement, Rayne proved she was a ‘the glass isn’t half-full its empty and shattered on the ground’ kind of girl. Her tail snapped out behind her, thumping dully on her pants leg. The GEL offered a shake of her head before she just turned on her heels, the gravel crunching under feet as she stormed off towards her bike. She was done, as far as she was concerned. The outburst hadn’t made her feel any better and his attitude wasn’t helping either. It should have, everything he said rang with a truth she couldn’t deny, at least in her mind. But Rayne was good at denying the truth instead of facing it…so very, very good.
 
Back
Top