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This is a work of fiction. Although there are places and incidents in it which are real, all the characters involved in this story are fictional.
All rights reserved yadda-yadda.
-JennyM
Don "Bouncy" Coniglio arrived at the medical chamber along with his retinue of Tough Buns. A medbun scampered up to him.
"S-s-sir, I'm afraid we have another one... from the tunneling team." He <shiverfluffed> with fear.
"Another one from the tunneling team?" the alpha bunny repeated menacingly. "Gladys?"
"Y-yes sir. She's dying. I'm sorry... there's nothing we can do."
Don cuffed the medbun hard. The medbun winced and stroked his sore face.
"Be grateful I kept my claws sheathed," Bouncy snarled quietly.
"S-sir, there's truly nothing that can be done!" the medbun cringed as he replied. "This is all caused by that monkey business."
Don breathed in heavily and restrained himself. The chemical spill from the 1970s was still soaking into the ground, still polluting decades later. It was killing his people.
"May I see her?" he asked quietly.
The medbun recovered himself. "Of course sir."
Coniglio hopped down the row sick beds. The scent of antiseptics couldn't cover that faint odor of sickness from the ward. He stopped at one bed. The female's fur was matted and cancerous swellings marred her once fine appearance. Her eyes were closed and her breathing erratic.
Bouncy sat next to her. "Gladys? It's Don."
The female opened an eye. "I told you," she gasped. "I told you about the stench, the diggers falling ill. But you had to push it, didn't you?" She repeated the familiar litany. "You wanted so much to tap into the monkey's wires that you made us dig through their polluted soil... and for what? Those 'allies' of yours abandoned us and the company up and left."
"Gladys..." Don said softly. "If you want me to say I'm sorry... I'm sorry. I should have listened to you. I was wrong. But I will avenge your death and all the bunnies who died. I promise you that."
He hopped away, stopping briefly at each of the sick beds.
"Fat lot of good that will do any of us," one of the other does coughed.
Don Coniglio drew a breath before pawing in the number on the video phone.
A thin brown buck appeared on the screen. "You've reached Riverside Parlor City. How may I direct your call?"
"Please put me through to Lorrie Whitetail," Don said calmly. "Tell her it's Don Coniglio."
The buck ears rose in alarm and he disappeared from the screen. In his place, the screen filled with gently pulsing colors. Soothing New Age music flowed through the speakers. It was very refined, very under-stated, but still very ky00t.
A white doe appeared. "This is Lorrie Whitetail. How can I help you?"
Don had a mental list starting with 'roll over so I can rip your throat out' and growing steadily more rude - but he controlled himself.
"Lorrie, I know that relations between us have not been good. I'd like to try and patch things up. We're bunnies, and should be fighting the monkeys who oppress us, not each other."
Lorrie <serenefluffed>. "That is true. But I sense that you have other motives besides peace. You require something that I or my warren can supply you with."
Bouncy had to hand it to the heretic - she could cut right to the heart of the matter when it pleased her. "You are correct. You have probably heard of the sudden rise in cancer in my warren."
"Yes I have, although I don't have the number of spies that you have in my warren," Lorrie replied conversationally.
Coniglio briefly bared his teeth, mentally cursing the doe for goading him. "I'll come right to the point. Their illness is directly connected to the ape pollution seeping into the soil. I'm short of medbuns and medical equipment. I'm asking you - bunny to bunny - for aid in this matter."
She regarded him silently for a moment. "You wouldn't be so short of medbuns if you didn't injure them when they cannot perform to *your* demands. Science cannot be intimidated into working. You could use a course in anger management."
Out of sight of the camera Don's claws extended and gouged his desk. It took him a moment to realize that her comment hadn't been meant to mock him but was an honest assessment. Cold calculation in the back of his skull told him that she had a point.
He nodded. Although he'd preferred to answer the call of emotional rage, it was time to go with the numbers. "I'll consider it."
"Why don't you transfer some of your patients to my wards?" Lorrie suggested. "Perhaps our more holistic medicines can help ease their suffering."
"Thank you. Let's arrange it."
After he finished his call with the other warren leader he phoned his head mentat. "I'll be freeing up resources for you soon. Be prepared."
A few days after he called Riverside, Don Coniglio called Southside Warren.
A bun with a purple and electric blue stripped fur lounged in front of the monitor. "Hey there! You got the Prez! Talk to me, Donnie!"
Coniglio bit his tongue. He hated being called Donnie. "Mr. President, I'd like to contract out some of your techbuns."
"Oh?" President Mellow Ears leaned closer to the camera. "This won't have anything to do with the sick buns you handed off to Riverside?"
"Yes it does."
"Well, Ms. Whitetail has also contacted me about them." The dyed bunny took a moment to polish his nails.
"Environmental cancers. Pity you chose to burrow through a toxic waste spill. You should have your whole warren checked. It's pretty nasty stuff."
"It's in the works. However, I need more information about the chemicals involved. Although I have monkey press releases I'd like to get more detailed information directly from the company."
Mellow Ears looked at him doubtfully. "You want hackerbuns."
"You have the best. I want to see what the company is hiding."
The other warren leader wrinkled his nose. "There's more, isn't there?"
"Perhaps." Bouncy waved a paw. "Full disclose EPA documents, dates, times, names, probable causes..."
"Names," Mellow Ears repeated. "You want to go after the apes who did this?"
"Of course." <agressive fluff>
"I'll warn you. We're an Educational Facility. Certain things I don't want to see and don't want to know about. I want there to be nothing that can be traced back here and bring the Fudds down on my neck. Are we clear on that?"
"I guess that would partly depend on the quality of data given me, wouldn't it?" Coniglio replied evenly.
"It will be good. One more thing. When you get that ape..." Mellow Ears <fangygrinned>, "I want to see the video."
Don <fangygrinned> back. "I think we have an understanding."
"Tansy-baby! You're killing me here!"
Tansy <adorablefluffed> at her agent. "I'm really sorry," <ky00tfurruffle> "but I'm getting behind in my studies. I really *can't* take any more time away from my school work." <blinkyeyes> "I really can't."
"Tansy, Tansy!" her agent exclaimed. "This isn't just any contract... this is DeBuns! It'll make you a big star! A big star like Wynn."
"Oh, I *couldn't* be as big as Wynn." <pawscuff>
"Tansy, JUPITER isn't as big as Wynn. That's the point! Wynn is old and fat! She's history! But you, kid... you're fresh, exciting... and way ky00ter than Wynn!"
"I'm *so* sorry," <droopear> Tansy replied. "But I have this special project that requires a faster network connection than the one in my dressing room." <big-eyed blink> "Much faster."
"I'll get you better connection! Anything!"
"A T-1 line."
"Whatever! And if you need extra help I'll get you a tutor! I'll get Alex..."
"Devon."
Her agent looked at her with annoyance. "Okay, okay! You got it! Just do the DeBuns shoot!"
<satisfiedpoofle> "Okay."
Her agent hopped out in a hurry leaving her to examine her special assignment. "Cracking into a major computer firm's personnel database?" she murmured as she examined the files. <tiltear>
"Gee, I was hoping for something *hard*."
Don Coniglio nodded in satisfaction as he pawed through the documents. Lots of interesting data on the chemicals involved, animal testing, EPA warnings... it was a good start.
He lifted one up for examination; employee data. It was a list of engineers, techs, part-timers, and managers who were employed on the site around the time of the spill. Yes. He didn't care about the engineering types although they might have had a paw in the incident... he wanted to know what manager - or managers for that matter, had known about it and done nothing.
Or had authorized it.
A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. "Enter!"
The entering buck spoke calmly. "Don Coniglio? I'm Cedar. Lorrie Whitetail sent me."
Don looked askance at him. "Huh? She did? I didn't ask for..."
"I'm your Anger Management Coach," the buck said swiftly.
"What? You gonna tell me what to do?" Coniglio snarled.
Cedar didn't blink. "How's your blood pressure? Elevated is it? How about your last two personal medbuns? Still recovering, aren't they? How about your last two secretaries? Can't seem to find anyone who wants the job yet, hmmm?"
Don <snicked> out his talons and <snicked> them back in. The buck had a point. He'd been on edge lately and had... damaged a few people he maybe shouldn't have.
He drew a breath. "Very well, Cedar. Just don't go pulling out any scented candles. And none of your heretic talk."
Cedar nodded. "I think you need something more active. Let me introduce you to Bun-Chi."
It was amazing what could happen in a few weeks. The Bun-Chi movements were getting easier and more enjoyable.
"Enough for today," Cedar announced.
Breathless, Bouncy agreed. Bun Chi looked like a simple series of dance steps, or self-defense moves done in slow motion, but it was hard to do things slowly that should be done fast. Even after several weeks he was tired and sore from the exercise.
Yet he also felt calmer and his thinking was sharper. His blood pressure was down and he'd replaced some of his flabby bulk with lean muscles. It felt good. He liked that.
After bathing and grooming he went to his office. "Morning Morning-Blossom!" he happily greeted his new secretary.
"Good morning, sir!" <happybounce>
It was a big change from the cringes he'd gotten from earlier secretaries. He liked that, too.
"The latest data from Southside has arrived," Morning-Blossom said. "I placed it on your desk. Would you like coffee sir? Maybe a danish?"
He considered the dietary regimen Cedar had placed him on. Both coffee and danish were off limits. "Just the coffee please," he replied.
He couldn't be good all the time. He really liked that.
From the new data it appeared that the manager monkey involved in the spill had retired and moved out of the area. Don bared his fangs. The monkey could run, but it couldn't hide. Still, it was bothersome not to have the creature right under his paw. He'd have to go after him.
He scanned through the papers and grinned horribly. The monkey had family in the area. Perhaps he could lure the man back.
Bouncy doubted the monkey wanted anything bad to happen to his grandchildren. Coniglio chuckled deeply. He was already forming plans.
"It is a great day in Bundom when two rivals put aside their differences in peace and harmony," Don Coniglio said to the small crowd gathered. "I hope that from now on, our two warrens will live in peace and gather good fortune from its fruits. You have extended the paw of friendship and for that I am humbled, yet elated to be here. Thank you."
The crowd applauded. Coniglio mentally shook his head. Fools.
Riverside had not only taken in his sick and dying, they had extended visitation rights to the families of the ill. Bouncy now supplemented his present spies with even more noses and ears. And now, they had invited him - their mortal enemy - into their warren to visit those struck down by the monkey pollution.
He smiled at the heretics before him. Someday they would sing another tune... one of his devising.
He had to admit Lorrie Whitetail was cooler and smarter than he'd ever imagined. But her belief in the innate 'Inner Fluff' of all devilbunnies would lead to her death. With the information he was gathering, he knew he could take this warren down.
But for now it was time to put on the show. He hopped side by side with Lorrie to the medical unit. It was such a photogenic moment - two squabbling warrens at peace! He chuckled to himself. It was a great con job.
At the door to the infirmary he stopped and stood droop-eared in astonishment.
The buns he'd chucked over here had been close to death --but now many of them were now up and about! He cast about quickly. "Gladys?"
The doe looked up from her "Bunny World" magazine. Her coat, once matted and pitted with bleeding tumors, was well groomed. Fresh bandages covered her sores and there was a sparkle in her remaining eye.
"Hello Don!" <pleased poofle> "I'm surprised to see you. I never thought they'd let you visit." The doe looked to Lorrie with deep appreciation. "Thank you. Donny and I go back a ways."
Lorrie <assuredfluffed>. "You've spoken of him often. It won't be ky00t deny you a visit from an old friend."
"Of course," Gladys bristled slightly. "Could you leave us alone for a moment?"
<understandingfluff> "Of course."
"Gladys, you look great!" Don said, and put his paw in hers.
"Yes. And I feel better too. I'm still terminal..."
His ears drooped.
"It's all right Don. My, you look pretty good yourself." <wink-fluff> "How does the Old Doe At Home think of the slimmer and trimmer you?"
"Eh. We still don't see much of each other." <shrugfluff>
"Oh come on. I've heard stories about you two in your younger days. The romance! The intrigue! The killing! You were quite the couple. There must be some embers left from that fire."
"Well... I don't know."
"Bouncy, as your friend and as mistress please take my advice this time? Go back to your wife. Here..." she skimmed through the magazine. "Look at this."
Bouncy looked at the advertisement. In a highly stylized black and white photo a handsome bun was presenting a box of chocolate toes to an astoundingly ky00t doe. The caption read, 'DeBunns. When you want to give the very best'.
"Hmmm. DeBunns? Sounds expensive."
"Pfft," she said derisively. "You can afford it. Besides, what doe doesn't like to receive expensive gifts?"
"Speaking of which, shall I whisper in your ear my plans for the monkey who did this to you?"
Gladys leaned towards him as he spoke very softly to her. "Oh my," she <fangy-grinned>. "That does sound gruesome."
Clover Coniglio sighed as she continued her embroidery. Had it all come down to this? Sitting alone at night, every night? Where had her life gone?
She had BunTV turned on and a new ad caught her attention. It was shot in stylized black and white and featured the shadows of a buck and a doe running along the shoreline. Romantic violins swelled as the buck presented the doe with a box of chocolates. The camera cut to a shot of the doe's sparkling ky00t eyes as they grew large in surprise and gratitude.
Finally came the voice over. "DeBuns... when you want to give the very best."
She sighed at the romance that had longed drained away from her life.
The door opened and Don Coniglio hopped in. She glowered at him. "So, you deign to come home to the wife occasionally? Is that because your mistress is dying and you haven't found a new one yet?"
Don <soothingfluffed>. "My dear, I am in such a good mood that even your attitude cannot bother it."
"So you found a new one already?" <harrumpedfluff> "That new secretary? Is that who you're getting all slim and trim for?"
"Frith no! She's young enough to be my grandchild!" he <amusedpoofled>.
"Donald, stop playing games with me... what are you trying to hide behind your back?"
He brought out the package and she held her breath. "DeBuns," she breathed out. "Special Edition Chocolate Covered Toes! For... me?"
"I don't see any other doe around, do you?"
She hesitated. "What do you want?"
"I want the good old days back, Clover," he said quietly. "You and me. I know I've been a poor spouse but hey! What do you want? I'm a bunny!" He flashed her his sexiest grin. "Come on, Clo - let's have a fresh start."
"You con artist, you." She angrily threw down away her embroidery. "You got something cooking."
"Yeah. Want to stir the pot?" <wink>
She caught his look and suddenly <fangygrinned>. "What's my percentage?"
"Fifty-fifty. Just like the good old days."
"You've got yourself a partner again."
Les Pathways, a.k.a. Agent Matrix, paced nervously near a gravestone at Floral Park Cemetery. The phone call wasn't frantic but his sister really wanted to met him.
His sister the devilbunny.
"One of these days the cognitive dissonance is going to make my head explode," he muttered.
From behind the gravestone popped a large cinnamon bunny. "Dougie," she said affectionately.
"Heather." He knelt down and a lump came to his throat. Even after her change his love for her remained the same. She was still the only one to call him by Douglas instead of Les. "How are you?"
"I'm good, I'm really good. I'm working in the infirmary. We've had an influx of patients from Northside... oh, Dougie," <blinkeyes> "You should see the effects of the toxic wastes on them."
"The dumping was inexcusable," he said darkly.
"But I didn't ask you here for that," she brightened and bounced happily. "Evan," she called, "come on out."
Another bunny cautiously made his way around the gravestone.
"Dougie, meet Evan Thunderfoot." <softeyes> "He's my buckfriend."
Les felt another knife twist into his heart. "Buckfriend," he repeated flatly.
Evan hesitantly made his way forward. "Um, it's... ah nice to meet you... ah.... Doug... sir."
"Buckfriend." Les flexed his fingers menacingly. "Don't call me Doug."
"Ah... yes, sir."
"Douglas, don't be mean to him," Heather pleaded. "He's been very nice to me. A real gentlebun." <affectionatefluff> "He even bought me DeBuns."
Les looked murderously at Evan.
"Chocolates, sir," Evan said hurriedly. "They're very expensive."
"'Debuns. When you want to give the very best,'" Heather sighed.
Les cut to the chase. "Evan. what are your intentions toward my sister?"
"Only honorable," he squeaked out.
"Douglas! We're bunnies! What did you think his intentions are?" Heather protested.
"Would you stay here a moment, Heather?" Les said softly. "I want to talk to Evan man to... buck."
Fudd and devilbunny moved away from the human convert.
After a distance Doug stopped and looked at Evan like a wolf about to pounce. "Evan. You know who I am."
"Y-you're Heather's b-beloved brother Dou... Les." He paused and scuffed the ground nervously. "And you're Trenchcoat. A Fudd. Bunnykiller."
"Then you know what I'm capable of. Now - why haven't I slaughtered you?"
"The treaty?"
"Yes... the treaty. You stay out of the War, you get to live. That's the first reason. The second... I still love my sister. I care for her immensely. I didn't approve of her transition... but she's happy. I want her to stay happy. Understand?"
"Yessir." He screwed up his courage. "I love her. It takes a lot of love to even *think* about dating the sister of a Fudd. And the founder of our warren - Furry Thunderfoot was my great-great-greatgrandfather. He taught me to believe in the Fluff."
He nodded. "Very well, Evan Thunderfoot. I'll grant you that." He motioned with his head. "Go on. I really can't approve but... just make her happy."
"Thank you, Douglas ah, sir."
"Les. Only Heather can call me Douglas. Remember that."
"Right." He scampered off.
Les rubbed his forehead. "I need a drink."
The garage was large enough to hold a dozen medium-sized delivery trucks. Three men strolled in a side door; a graying, wrinkled man in a neat pinstriped suit and two large, mean- looking men in bulky outfits. The suits the latter wore were not fashionable, but they could hide a multitude of weapons. One of the bruisers ported a animal carrier.
The three men stopped by a pile of tires and opened the cage door. A bunny with a pretty ribbon around its neck hopped out - a ribbon with bloodstains on it.
The older man smiled at it. "A pleasure doing business."
<agreefluff> "See you later," the bunny disappeared into the tires.
A moment later another bun hopped out. "Louie! <pleasedfluff> Good to see you again."
"Bouncy! Is that you?" the older man inquired. He smiled at the bunny. "Hey, you look great! You remember Harry and Bruno?" He motioned to the burly men next to him.
"Sure! How'd the job go?"
Louie chuckled. "No one suspects the bunny!"
<fangygrin> "No, of course not. Say, Louie - I need a little help with something."
"Sure, Don! What do you need?"
"I got a few pick-ups that have to be done. Quietly."
Louie snapped his fingers and pointed a finger at him. "Gotcha. Muscle?"
"You read my mind, Louie." <pleasedfluff>. "And that parking facility out on Airport Road? Got an empty tractor-trailer?"
Bouncy and Louie worked out the details while the two other men kept a shifty eyed look out. When they were done, Bruno cleared his throat. "Excuse me, but could we see... um..."
Don and Louie looked at each other.
"Have they been good boys?" Don Coniglio asked.
"Pretty good."
<satisfiedpoofle> "We'll arrange it with the kits. Say, after dinner?"
The burly men broke out in big smiles. "Allllright! We get ta see da kits!" Harry blurted out.
Heather adjusted her candystriper hat and quickly hopped down to the infirmary. Most everyone had retired for the night and the warren was quiet.
Doctor Mauve waved to her as she came in.
"You're early, Heather," <greetingspuff>. "It's good of you to come in on to cover for Sasha while she's down with the flu."
"That's okay. I don't mind," she replied.
<approvingfluff> "Most everyone's asleep. Keep an ear open for Gladys though, she's slipping away from us. If she wakes, stay with her."
<pityfluff> "Such a shame. Should I call you?"
"Only if she's in pain. We couldn't save her but at least her last few weeks were comfortable. Don Coniglio was here visiting her just a few hours ago. At least he got to say goodbye."
"He seems a changed bunny," Heather said as she looked over the patients' charts.
<doubtfulfluff> "Time will tell."
The night was quiet. She checked each patient every regularly and filled out some leftover paperwork. But at 5:00 AM Gladys roused and began murmuring. Heather quickly came to her side and held her paw.
"Bouncy... Bouncy..." she whispered, clearly delirious.
Heather said nothing but squeezed her paw.
"Bounce... you're a right evil bunny, Bouncy ..." Gladys continued with a chuckle, oblivious to her surroundings.
What the dying bunny said next made Heather's ears go up in alarm. She bounded off to get someone in authority.
And hopefully a tape recorder.
Lorrie Whitetail hopped through the newly dug tunnel and arrived inside a finished basement. Another bunny and several humans were already there.
"...and they call this a hard winter!" one human commented. "Feels like summer compared to Maine... oh, hi Lorrie. What's up?"
She looked at the sympathizers from Maine. There were two couples: Mark and Mary Whitehill, and Tom and Yvonne Merrick. They had become the unofficial leaders of their new community of sympathizers.
"My Friends, I'm sure you've heard about some of us who don't follow the fluffiest of paths. Especially the warren we call Northside."
"They hang around with Mafia types, right?" Mary asked. She passed some organic lettuce to the bunnies.
"Correct. Mmmm," Lorrie politely nibbled some of the lettuce. It was good. "Now, the old chemical spill from IBM has been causing them some problems and they are planning to deal with matters... in an inappropriate manner."
She produced a cassette tape from her carry pack. "If you would play this please? It's the last dying words of Gladys Honeytail. She was a ... confidante of Northside's leader Don Coniglio."
The humans listened intently to the high pitched but raspy voice on the tape. At the bunny's words they looked shocked and horrified.
"Gorry! That's awful!" Yvonne exclaimed.
"Yes," Lorrie <sadfluffed>. "Although the humans involved did grievous harm to the land and unwittingly, to both the humans and bunnies who live there - this act of revenge must not happen. Will you help prevent this heinous act?"
"Ayuh," they said.
Tom looked at her thoughtfully. "I take it the authorities won't be contacted for this?"
"We'll kept in an 'internal' affair."
The humans nodded in agreement.
"You have learned well the 24 steps of basic Bun- Chi," Ceder said to Don Coniglio after the workout. "I'm very pleased."
"So am I, Ceder," Don replied with a <sweatypoofle>. "But I'm going to be busy the next few days, so we'll need to change our workout schedule."
Ceder agreed and hopped out of the excercise area. He was suspicious about the change in time for and decided to contact his warren to relay his worries.
But two burly buns blocked the tunnel before him. Ceder recognized them as some of Don's bodyguards. "So this is Bouncy's dance instructor," one of the bruiser buns said. "Why don't you come with us and show us some of your fancy steps."
<snick><snick> Out came the two bucks' claws.
Ceder sighed. "I don't want to hurt you."
"Funny, we'd just *love* to hurt you," one of the bucks replied. "Let's dance."
A few moments latter Ceder left behind two bleeding and beaten toughs. He ignored his own wounds and searched for a way out. Coniglio had tipped his hand and it was imperative that he get in touch with Lorrie right away.
---
Back at Riverside Warren Doctor Mauve looked up at Heather as she came in the door. "Glad to be back on your regular shift?"
Heather <affirmfluffed>. "I don't like the night shift especially after..."
"I understand. We have quite a crowd today. It's Slyvania's birthday and all four of her brothers came."
Heather looked at the balloons and streamers. <sorrowfluff> "It's a shame it'll be her last. Look at her - she barely knows anyone's here."
Four more bucks entered the clinic. Dr. Mauve went over to them. "Good afternoon, who are you here to visit?"
"Why, we want to see you, Doc," they answered -- and assaulted him.
"DOCTOR!" Heather screamed and leaped into the fray. But the bucks around Sylvania came over and surrounded both medic and volunteer. The two were quickly subdued.
One of the eight pulled out a walkie-talkie. "Hostages secured. We're on our way out." He sneered at Heather. "Boy I'd hate to be in your paws, convert."
A sweet smelling cloth was placed over her mouth and the world went away.
It was dark when Fred Holloway parked his car in front of his son's house. He got out and went to the door carrying his suitcase and a large bundle of gifts for his granddaughter. He banged on the door, "Hello! Grampa's here!"
He tried the knob and found the door unlocked. It didn't really concern him - they knew he was coming. He entered and called out again.
"Hello! Dave, Emmy, I'm here!"
But no one responded to his entreaties. "Damn it, where is everyone?" he muttered as he put the packages down.
"Fredrick Holloway?"
He was surprised at the strange voice and whirled around to see two men in dark suits. They seemed to have come out of nowhere.
"I'm Holloway," he said. "Who are you?"
"Police. I'm afraid your family's been abducted. You'd better come with me."
"Did they leave a note? Are they alright? What do they want?" he asked as he strode towards them.
"We've set up a monitoring station in a truck outside," one of them said. "We'd like you to get in with us."
"Sure, sure!" he said and walked back out flanked by the two men. "I hope we can find out what happened to them. My granddaughter means the world to me."
The three men walked a across the street to where a bread truck was parked. The back opened and Holloway was quickly muscled inside. The truck rolled away into the night.
Fifteen minutes later a battered car that was as much bondo as sheet metal arrived. Two men got out.
"Hey, this car's got Florida license plates," Tom remarked.
Mark shook his head. "Frith, I hope we're not too late."
"You gals are going to be the death of me yet."
Marsha laughed at Les's protest. "What's worse, dying of Girl Movies or under the paws of the Fluffy Menace?"
"Fluffy Menace is quicker," he said with a grin.
"Oh come on, admit it. You liked 'Thelma and Louise'."
"Okay, okay! But it's my turn." He sorted through the rented DVDs and selected 'Die Hard.'
Gina came into the living room with three bowls of popcorn. "Oh man, not that one again." She parked herself on the end of the couch.
The phone rang and Les waved to the two women. "I'll get it. Marsha got it the last time."
He glanced at the caller ID and ground his teeth. "Bunnies on the line," he called out.
The two women scrambled for the other phone. Marsha turned on the tape recorder.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Pathways? Lorrie Whitetail here. I have bad news."
He drew a sudden breath. "Heather?"
"Yes. Don Coniglio has taken her. He knows about your relationship. I'm sorry, your secret is out. I'm afraid he'll question her about your whereabouts."
At the word 'question' his blood ran cold. "Has he contacted you?"
"Yes. He'll release her if I provide your location or phone number." She was silent for a moment. "I have done nothing yet. I await your advice."
Les looked at his fellow Fudds for advice. Both of them shook their heads. Gina mouthed 'Don't trust them'.
He grimaced. "Tell them you'll arrange a one to one trade. Me for her. Above ground."
"No!" Marsha exclaimed.
"I'm afraid there's more," Lorrie replied.
The three Fudds listened in horror.
The field above Endicott looked quiet and empty. It wasn't. Throughout the brush around its edges, devilbunnies lurked in strategic locations.
"He won't come," a tough bun said to Clover Coniglio.
"He will," Clover replied. "He's a fool who's remained attached to his sister. Isn't that so, Heather?"
A beaten and bruised bunny <sobbedfluffed>. Her legs were hobbled so she couldn't move quickly.
Clover <fangygrinned>. "But I have to admit that you're tough stuff, Heather. You didn't break - didn't betray your brother. Of course, we stopped when we got the word. We would have broken you in time."
Her tone was confident but she was also worried. Too many things were happening at the same time. She had fewer bunnies at hand than she wanted but Bouncy wanted to keep the majority for his own little game.
A rusty car rattled up and stopped at one end of the field. A woman in black stepped out.
"Okay, we're here!" she shouted.
A woman in leather and a man in a long trenchcoat stepped out of the car.
"Yes!" Clover exclaimed. "And not a squirrel in sight. Now to close the trap."
Three devilbunnies moved into the field; Clover, a guard and Heather.
"You know the drill, Trenchcoat," Clover called. "You walk, Heather walks. You'll pass each other midway. You can say your good byes if you want. Then your sister can join your Fudd friends and you can join me - for lunch."
The male Fudd was silent as he started his way across.
"One more thing, Agent Matrix. Lose the trenchcoat." Clover called out.
The bulky trenchcoat fell to the ground where one of the women snatched it up. Beneath he was wearing a plain button down shirt and dress pants.
The guard whispered to Clover, "When do we launch the attack?"
"Just before he gets here. I want to enjoy this."
Heather limped forward and stopped in front of her brother. "Oh Dougie, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
He passed her without a word and barely a glance.
Clover <fangygrinned> "Oh that was sweet, sweet. How touching. Now come to momma, Dougie."
The Fudd came within a meter of the two bunnies, stepped slightly to one side and spat a mouthful of Moxie(tm) at Clover.
Gunfire erupted from the car. Clover howled as the Moxie(tm) ate into her skin. The guard said nothing as his head was shot off.
"GET THEM!" Clover screamed as the Les turned tail and bolted.
The Fudd females grabbed weapons from the car: heavy duty super soakers. Clover could now see the barrels of guns sticking out of holes in the car - previously unnoticed because the car was practically made out of holes.
Agent Matrix sprinted across the field with bunnies at his heels. Two got close enough to leap on his back but slid off, tearing off his shirt and exposing the metal plate beneath it. Other bunnies were shot as they came out of the bushes or were burned by the Moxie(tm) from the super soakers.
"No, no, no, he's getting away!" Clover hollered as she saw Matrix and his crew pile into the car and take off down the road - shaking off devilbunnies as they went.
As she was being treated one of the surviving bunnies came up to her. "It doesn't matter, ma'am. We got the license plate numbers. We can trace them from that."
"One way or another," she said from beneath her bandages, "We'll get them."
The rusty car bumped along the road for several miles.
"Can we stop and get this man off me?" a muffled voice sounded. "He's bleeding all over me."
The tires screeched and the car came to a sudden stop.
From the passenger side Gina looked wide eyed at Marsha. "You are a hazard behind the wheel!"
"Why thank you! Now help me get the false plates off the car."
Matrix wiggled out of the back seat. "I didn't know you were such a great shot, Sargasso."
A heavy man with a beard hauled himself out from the back. "Thank Agent Orange. He's the one with the scope. I'll let him out of the trunk."
Matrix bent, winced and looked underneath the seats. "Are you all right, Heather?"
"No," she sobbed. "I almost got you killed."
"I had to at least try to save you. What are brothers for?"
Marsha came around to see him. "Let's see... oh man! Your back!"
"Your arm," he replied.
Gina limped over. "My leg."
A thin man in a jumpsuit crawled out from the trunk and looked at them. "I think you three should get in back and bleed together. Let the healthy people drive."
They rearranged the car took off at a more leisurely rate.
"You know, if Phong found out about this he'd have a fit," Sargasso remarked.
Agent Orange chuckled. "Yeah, but it's time we dropped some of the secrecy between the cells. Sometimes we *need* a large force to do anything."
"But to rescue a devilbunny?" the other Fudd said quietly. "This is madness."
"Tell me about it." He looked at his watch and raised his voice. "Think you folks can be bandaged up soon?"
"Yeah, just don't ask me to lift anything heavy," Marsha said.
"Or me to run fast," Gina remarked.
"Or me carry a backpack," Les groaned.
Don Coniglio glowered at the monitor. "They got away, huh?"
"I told you I needed more milbuns," Clover said through her bandages.
"They'll pay for what they did to you, I promise - my love. In the meantime, it's time for your favorite game show - kill the ape."
He twirled to his symps. "Wake him." Bouncy commanded. "It's Show Time!"
Bruno waved smelling salts under the old man's nose. He awoke with a start.
"Hey... where am I?" The man struggled against the ropes holding him to the chair.
"No place that you need to know about," Bouncy said. He hopped into view. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Don Coniglio. They call me Bouncy." <widefangygrin>
The man gaped at him. "A... a talking rabbit?"
"BUNNY!" Bouncy leaped on the man's lap and scowled at him. "Talking BUNNY, you dumb ape."
Bruno and Harry - the only other humans present laughed at the old man's puzzlement and fear. Bouncy had of his tough buns and two techs to keep the video system running.
"Now lookee here, monkey." Bouncy produced a paper. "Any of these look familiar?"
"Some kind of chemicals?" he asked weakly.
"Chemicals! Chemicals! How about toxic wastes! Industrial pollution spilled onto the ground by the gallon after gallon - hundreds of gallons ON YOUR WATCH. That's right Mr. Fredrick Holloway. Think someone would forget?"
"B-b-but..."
"Muzzle him, boys, I don't want to hear any of his bureaucratic excuses! Because baby, the buck stops here!"
Harry laughed as he slapped some duct tape over Holloway's mouth. "The 'buck' stops here. That's a good one."
"Now turn his chair to face the monitors," Bouncy commanded.
"Do you like to watch Reality TV, Mr. Holloway? Well we've got a brand new one to show you. Let me bring up the lights in our 'studio.' It's located inside a tractor trailer just outside this office."
He pressed a button and the screens brightened. "Recognize the people tied to those chairs? Isn't that your son? His lovely wife? And the one in the little chair, isn't that your granddaughter? Celeste?"
Holloway made protesting noise and writhed in his chair.
"And those barrels along the back? Guess what's in there?" He waved the paper in front of him. "Why yes! The very same chemicals! Volatile when heated? Oh dear me. I just turned the heaters on."
Holloway's eyes bugged out in horror.
"Oh no, it won't explode. That would be too quick. But the fumes will eventually drive out all of the existing oxygen. Should take a little while. Maybe a few hours." Coniglio jumped on the man's chest and dug his claws into him. Blood oozed from the wounds. "AND YOU'RE GOING TO SIT HERE AND WATCH JUST LIKE I WATCHED MY PEOPLE GROW SICK AND DIE. THEN..."
Harry brought over a gas mask and put it on Holloway's face.
"...then," Bouncy continued, "we open up a valve and you can breathe in those same gases and your grandchild's last... dying... breath."
Holloway struggled harder without success.
Coniglio's <fangygrin> grew larger. "Be happy, Fredrick Holloway. You're the first." He waved a list of names in front of him. "I've got a little list... they never will be missed.... no, they never will be missed!"
"Bouncy," Bruno called out. "We got a car coming up to the parking lot."
"You two go deal with it," Bouncy said. "I don't want to miss a moment of the action."
Harry and Bruno stepped out onto the parking lot. A chain link fence surrounded the isolated lot. The facility consisted of a few storage garages, several tractor trailers and a rundown office. They were miles from the nearest human habitation.
A Rambler with more bondo than sheet steel pulled up to the gate and a man got out.
"Sorry folks, we're closed," Harry said loudly.
The man produced a bolt cutter and cut the chain holding the fence closed.
"Stop or we shoot!" Bruno shouted.
Bruno and Harry reached into their jackets for their guns.
<crack> <crack>
Both men jerked as they were hit with rifle fire. Bruno dropped his pistol and grabbed his right arm. Harry ignored his wound and pulled out the pistol with his left arm. Another rifle sounded and he dropped to his knees, wounded in both arms.
Two more cars appeared, none in any better shape than the other. From one car came a pair of women in denim and flannel, the other a woman in black and one in leather. Then all of them rushed towards the trailers. A bunny followed slowly behind them.
"Look for the one with cables. It'll be for the heaters," Tom Merrick cried out.
Three men carrying rifles with scopes crawled out of the brush.
Don and Mark relieved the wounded of their weapons. "You'll live," one of the Mainers drawled as he looked over their wounds.
"Found them!" cried one woman. She released the doors and pulled them open. She climbed in pulled out a large knife.
The already frightened couple screamed.
They relaxed marginally when she cut their bonds.
"Who are you people?" Dave Holloway asked.
Agent Bone looked at him with a grin. "EPA."
Yvonne and Mary helped the confused couple and child out of the trailer.
Meanwhile the Tom and Mark busted into the office. They found an old man tied to a chair with a gas mask over his face. He was moaning in pain and facing a set of video monitors showing the interior of the trailer.
"Oh Gawd," one of them said as he saw the blooded feet.
They untied him and carried him out. A blond man with a rifle stopped and checked him out. "He's in shock. We need to get him to a hospital."
"MATRIX!" Agent Stick cried out and pointed to the hill.
There was a lot of movement in the grasses.
"TO THE CARS!" Matrix cried out.
"TOO LATE!" she pointed to devilbunnies moving up the road. She grabbed a satchel from the car and limped quickly towards the building.
Matrix spotted a ladder. "EVERYONE - TO THE ROOF!" he cried and grabbed a ladder. He winced with the effort. "AND SOMEONE GRAB THAT BUNNY!"
"But, they're bunnies," Mary protested. "They won't hurt us."
Yvonne took one look at the horde coming their way and pushed the confused couple and their child towards the ladder.
"Boy, have you got a lot to learn about bunnies," Matrix said as he helped hoist the unconscious Fred Holloway onto the roof.
Five Fudds, four Maine sympathizers, two confused parents, one five year old, one unconscious old man and one bunny sat, stood, squatted, or lay on the roof of the office as a wave of devilbunnies poured into the parking lot.
Matrix, Orange and Sargasso brought their weapons to bear. Tom and Mary pushed down their rifles. "Are you crazy!" Tom shouted. "We're Friends! They won't hurt us."
The wave hit Bruno and Larry who were still bleeding on the pavement. Their screams chilled the Mainers.
Heather looked down. "There are Good Bunnies and there are Bad Bunnies," she said solemnly. "These... are Bad Bunnies."
"Bunny!" Celeste declared from her mother's arms. "Bunny talks!"
Emmy Holloway looked over the scene. "What is going on here?"
"Like the bunny said," Sargasso said. "Good bunnies and bad bunnies."
"Agent Matrix!" a voice came out of the milling fur beneath them. A large bunny with a bloody face looked up towards them. "You escaped from my wife's paws. I'll have your ears AND your toes for that."
"So, Bouncy," Matrix called back, "we finally meet."
"Fudds!" the Mainers exclaimed.
"Yes," Bone said pulling out several long pieces of wood and a mean-looking blade from the satchel. "Didn't Lorrie tell you?"
"All Lorrie said was that you were allies and not to ask questions," Mary said.
"They just ate this guy's toes," Marsha thumbed over her shoulder where Fredrick Holloway's feet were being bandaged.
In a few moments Bone had assembled a scythe. "I've always wanted to try this," she said as she gave it a swing. "I've got axes to spare, Moxie powered supersoakers..."
"How can you be Fudds if you have a bunny with you?" Mark asked.
"She's my sister," Matrix said quietly.
"He's my brother," Heather <affirmfluffed>.
"Well, I'll be," Mark muttered.
"I thought Lorrie Whitetail might try something like this," Bouncy said. "Now I don't know all of you, but I know some of you are Fudds. Stick. Bone. Matrix. Orange and Sargasso."
"Bunny killers," Tom spat, pointing his purlorned pistol at the Fudds.
"My brother!" Heather bared her fangs at him. "Who risked his life to save me! All the Fudds did. And these cuts, this singed fur?" she showed him her wounds and burns. "Other bunnies did this. Devilbunnies - from Northside warren."
"Oh yes, and you're a deva-bunny," Bouncy mocked. "God's bunnies. Heretic! When I take over Riverside warren, I'll show you what being a bunny really means."
"Hey, Bouncy!" Bone called down, "Weren't those two guards your own symps?"
"Not anymore." Bouncy turned his attention to the two couples from Maine. "You're Lorrie's symps. Our business is not with you. We'll let you come down, get in your cars and go home."
The Mainers looked at each other. "What about the couple, the child and the old man?" Mark called out.
"Not your concern."
Celeste started sobbing.
Yvonne shook her head angerly. "Like hell. Hand me an axe."
"How much ammo do you have in those rifles?" Tom asked quietly.
"Not enough," Sargasso said softly.
Mark aimed downward. "Then let's make each shot count."
"Can't this thing go faster?" Evan <worriedfluffed>.
Margaret Woodfield pushed back her gray hair with her finely manicured fingers. "I'm driving an SUV loaded to the roof with squirrels. I really don't think I want to be stopped for speeding."
A ripping noise told her that her neat and clean upholstery had succumbed to the ravages of the nervous squirrels. They chittered and chattered and bounced and generally behaved badly.
Agent Rat was getting too old for this double-agent game.
One landed in her lap and looked over the wheel. "How do you drive this thing?"
She swatted him with an efficient backhand. "Get in back. You're making things worse," she said primly.
<SCREEEEEEEEE>
She felt fur wiggle past her legs. "I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM THE PEDALS!"
<chitter> "Hey lady, did you know your hair smells funny?"
"GET OUT OF MY HAIR!"
"Please, Margaret - hurry," Evan pleaded.
Gunfire erupted from the roof. Agent Bone handed Yvonne an axe and Mary a super soaker. Bunnies leaped but could not make quite make the distance to the roof. Stick cried out like a warrior queen and mowed down any bun who tried climbing up the walls.
"Where are those frelling squirrels?" Bone cursed. "They should be here by now."
"Is that rig a 22?" a worried Tom asked.
"Yes. Designed for competition target shooting."
"What the hell can you do with a 22?"
"With hollow points you'd be surprised." He squeezed the trigger and a bunny's head exploded.
"Elegant," Tom nodded.
Both ammo and Moxie(tm) supplies grew low very quickly. Bone looked at the empty container super soaker. Her eyes grew fever bright. "Matrix! I need a fill up!"
"I'm out of Moxie! And almost out of bullets," he added quietly.
"Urine!" she cried out. "I am a Child of the Goddess and I believe! I believe in the power of Elmer!"
"Gorry! Another New Age freak," Mark commented as he used his last shot.
"At this point I'll try anything," Sargasso handed his rifle to a Mainer and unzipped his pants.
"What are you talking..." Mark said confused.
"Could use a little help here!" Yvonne called out.
A bunny paw reached over the edge. Heather bit it and the attacker fell. A Maine woman whacked another as Sargasso filled the container.
Bone held the container aloft. "I AM A CHILD OF THE UNIVERSE AND BY HECA... BY ELMER I BELIEVE!" she cried out snapped it back onto the super soaker. She pumped it and fired.
She hit one square in the face. Its head dissolved and it fell without a peep.
"Fill 'er up boys!" she cried out and handed the super soaker off to Mary. The men began filling the remaining containers as the women used axe and blade and baseball bat to keep the bunnies from coming over the side. As Marsha chanted Les looked at the container he just filled and remembered his fever dream. Elmer Fudd had appeared to him, first as a cartoon character and then as a grizzled and scarred fighter.
"Well, I'm a Christian and I believe too," he said firmly, pumped the soaker, and fired. Several bunnies screamed as their flesh melted away. He found the effect very satisfying. He handed the weapon off and took over the axe work.
A ladder thumped up onto the roof and a bunny scrambled over the edge. Heather leaped at the attacker and they both fell.
"NO!" Matrix screamed. He jumped after his sister.
"Matrix!" Marsha took an spare axe and followed him.
Bone raised her scythe high and went over the edge. "I HAVE BECOME DEATH - THE DESTROYER OF WARRENS!"
Deep within Northside warren, two guardbuns stopped at a cross corridor.
"Told ya. Quiet. Nothin's going on," the oldern bun said.
"I'm a little worried that with most of the securitybuns out of the warren someone's going try somthing," his younger companion remarked with a <concernfluff>.
"Like what? Somebun's gonna mount a rescue mission to save our hostages? Nobunny's stupid enough ta try that."
<WHAP> <WHAP>
Ceder looked over the two unconscious buns. "I find your lack of faith ...disturbing."
He motioned for the rest of his contingent to come forward. They were his three best students and he was very proud of how they'd sneaked into Northside warren without raising the alarm.
His students tied up the guards and gathered around him. "Watch your approaches and check your targets. Remember we're looking for civvies in here."
One student whispered, "Master," <nervousfluff> "*We* are civilians."
"So be doubly careful. The security desk is up ahead. Windruff, you rush the bun there. He must not activate the alarm. The rest of you, follow my lead."
Windruff entered the room and leaped over the desk. The secbun never even looked up from his "Fuddettes In Chains" novel and was quickly overcome.
Ceder moved towards the biggest secbun in the room. Unlike the whirling, fancy marital arts one sees in movies, Ceder's style was almost boring. As the bun charged him Ceder stepped, turned and with gentle push guided the secbun face first into the wall. Another took a downward swipe at him. Ceder twisted the bun's paw ever so slightly so it returned to its owner.
The secbun went *grrk* and fell over clutching his private parts.
Another sec bun tried to sucker punch him. Ceder twisted his body and the paw glanced off. Unbalanced the bun stumbled forward and Ceder pushed him into the first bun who was just recovering from his impact into the wall.
He glanced around the room. Two of his students were wounded but all of the guards were neutralized. "You two bandage each other and keep watch. The prisoners should be this way."
He quickly found the cell with the hostages. Dr. Mauve and the medics Lorrie had loaned to Northside came staggering out. They were beaten and bleeding but none looked badly wounded. "Can you all hop on your own?"
"Those who can't, we'll carry," the docbun said with a determined fluff.
As he helped the hostages out of the cell Ceder noticed a line of other cells. Most likely criminals. A sneaky smile came over his normally serene face.
Dave and Emmy Holloway sat on their couch and listened. Celeste had long since been put to bed and her grandfather taken to the emergency room.
"And that's our story. We knew the bunnies to be helpful, good neighbors," Tom said. "We came down to help a group that was peaceful and loving, and needed a little help."
"And you've heard my story," Matrix whispered. His face was bandaged, along with his legs and arms.
"When my sister was confused and depressed, they did this to her." He gesturned to a quiet bundle of cloth that lay on his lap. He stroked it absentmindedly. "And then they killed her."
Emmy spoke. "We want nothing to do with this."
Both Fudd and symp nodded. "We should go."
Outside the Mainers walked the bruised and bandaged Fudds to their car. Matrix was covered with deep bites and gouges and had to be helped along by Agents Sargasso and Orange. They had had the good sense to remain on the roof and had escaped major injury.
Bone walked stiffly and both her hands were bandaged. Except for a slight limp Stick looked unscathed.
Mary carried the small, sad bundle.
Tom turned to Matrix. "I'm sorry about your sister. We'll deliver her body to the warren."
He gave the Fudd a concerned look. "Are you going to be all right?"
Matrix looked blankly at him. "No. But I'll survive."
"You saved our lives back there."
"If the squirrels hadn't arrived we'd all be supper for Bouncy."
He shook his head. The vision of squirrels dropping cherry bombs, M80s and other explosives into the pack of bunnies made Tom's head spin. He could still hear the high pitch screams of 'Death From the Sky!' as squirrels, razorblades held tightly in their little paws, leaped upon the backs of the bunnies.
"OUCH! I won't be able to sit down for a week," Bone complained as she gingerly slid into her seat.
"The whole thing," Tom said slowly, "has gotten mighty complex. So where do we go from here?"
"Look, the locals buns and the Fudds had a deal. They stay out of the War, we don't bother them. I'd say that Northside has broken that treaty. But if Lorrie's warren stays out of the War, we won't bother them or you."
"Sounds fair to me."
They shook on it.
As the Fudds drove away Yvonne looped her arm around her husband. "That Matrix character? He was kinda cute."
Tom shrugged.
"And what they did? That was right neighborly of them. Might be hope for them after all."
"Ayuh."
"Please have a seat, Mr. and Mrs. Holloway."
The couple sat in front of the teacher's desk. Emmy fiddled with her purse.
"Your daughter Celeste was given a 'color the bunny' during Art time and I'm rather disturbed by what she did."
The parents looked at the paper handed them. A smiling, chubby bunny with a basket of eggs had been given long fangs and horns. It was covered with bleeding cuts and had arrows sticking in it.
Dan smiled nervously. "Um. I think I have an explanation. My father had a terrible accident with a lawn mower which triggered a heart attack while visiting us. Since it was near Easter Sunday I'm afraid she associates the Easter Bunny with her grandfather's death."
"They were close," Emmy added.
"You might want to keep a closer eye on her," the teacher scolded.
"Oh, we will," the couple promised.
Marsha knocked on Gina's door. Gina looked up from her computer. "Oh hi, Marsha. How's the backside today?"
"Still sore. I can't believe I got bit there. I have something for you."
She laid a silver ankh on a chain in the younger woman's hand. "I think it'll fit you."
"Oh, thank you!" Gina put it on and went to the mirror to admire the shiny ankh against the black of her shirt. "Anything else you want to give me?"
"No. Um, we have to talk."
Gina smiled. "I think I know what you're going to say. It's okay. I've been seeing you two slowly bonding. Heck, even I think he's adorable."
Marsha smiled and shrugged. "Thanks."
"And you're too old for me."
"HEY!"
Downstairs an insurance examiner looked over Les's car. "This is the car you had the accident in? You're lucky to be alive."
To explain their injuries they'd faked an auto accident. It wasn't hard with old Cavalier. "I know," Les said quietly. "I know."
"Take my advice, get yourself a new car."
After haggling without much interest or effect with the insurance agent Les hobbled inside.
Marsha trotted down the stairs. "Hey handsome, how about some coffee?"
"I think I'd like to go for a walk," he replied softly.
"You mean a stagger. I'll set the timer on the coffee maker."
"I want to be alone."
"You can't be left alone. Now let me get my jacket."
They made their way slowly and in silence to the Floral Avenue Cemetery and sat on a low wall outside a mausoleum.
"You blame yourself for your sister's death."
"Yes... and no. My sister made a decision to become a bunny. That was her choice. But if she hadn't attacked that lead bun coming up the ladder we might have been swarmed. She died so we might live."
"And you almost died trying to get her back. Twice. Give yourself some credit."
A small stone dropped in front of them. Les looked up. "It's Lorrie, isn't it?"
The squirrel chittered in disagreement.
A bunny hopped from behind a tombstone.
"Evan?" Les was rather surprised.
"I wanted to let you know we had the memorial service for Heather." <droopears> "We all miss her. She was a good bunny. And we won't forget your devotion to her. I'm sorry."
Les nodded. "Thank you, Evan."
The bunny hopped away and Marsha took Les's hand. "Let's go back and get some coffee."
"Good idea."
Arm in arm, they walked back to the house. "Hey, we're high priest and priestess of Elmer!" Marsha chuckled.
"Oh good God!" Les laughed. "I suppose we should do something special?"
"Maybe."
"In local news, police are still investigating events at a local storage facility. The isolated business, located on Airport Road, was the scene of a recent blaze. Neighbors recall hearing gunfire and the bodies of two men with known underworld connections were found afterwards. Along with the gunshot wounds, it appears that their toes had been removed before their bodies were burned. Authorities suspect foul play."
Lorrie Whitetail turned the television off. Her Friends and the Fudds had done a good job of covering up Bouncy's actions. Though on opposite sides of the war, they still made a good team.
The phone rang and she calmly picked it up. "Lorrie Whitetail. How may I help you?"
A strange doe's face appeared on the screen. Part of her ears were bandaged. "Hello Lorrie. I'm Clover Coniglio. You've no doubt heard of me."
Lorrie hid her discomfort. "Yes. I have."
"My husband is... not feeling well. Oddly, he blames you for his condition. You and your new symps. And I have to congratulate you for snatching your bunnies back. Now releasing *all* the prisoners, that was a nice touch."
"Not my doing, but I have to agree with you." Lorrie nodded and smiled secretly to herself.
"But why did you interfere? That monkey had it coming to him."
"To be honest, Mrs. Coniglio - if you simply killed that horrid man I wouldn't have lifted a paw against you. But killing his family, an innocent child ... you must realize that that is kit killing and breaks the treaty."
"You saw what it did to our families..."
"Revenge..." Lorrie interrupted, "is NOT fluffy."
She waved a piece of paper at the monitor. "And you're not the only person who can compile a list of IBM managers. They'll be warned... one way or another."
"We're not finished with you." The picture faded.
"Nor I, you," Lorrie said darkly to the monitor.
The chemical spill at the local IBM plant happened in the 1970s when the plant was involved in the manufacture of circuit boards. After removing hundreds of pounds of contaminated soil, the problem was declared solved.
It wasn't.
Careful monitoring revealed the toxic compounds had leeched deep into the ground and would someday get into the drinking water. A pumping station was added to remove the contaminated water. Basements around the plant are continually checked for signs of the chemicals leaking through.
Like any industrial or former industrial area, we have many places where chemicals were either leaked or dumped the ground. We have a school and a shopping mall located on a former industrial waste dump. It is unfortunate result of our ignorance or our greed that those places remain poisonous even after nearly a hundred years.
As to who must take the blame for the IBM incident: there are plenty of fingers pointing at someone else. Although IBM admits to the 'accidental' release of toxic liquids, it also protests that some of the blame must fall on another previous manufacturer in the area who also used toxic materials: the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company.
Having already located a warren of bunnies close by the site of the real toxic contamination, I could not resist the temptation to include this in my mythos. The spill is real. The problem is real. The shifting of blame is real. Only the Fudds, bunnies and the personage of Fredrick Holloway and his family are fiction.
Thanks go to my tireless editor Ky, and to Scott "Moxie Man" Bernier who gave me Maine symps to play with.
-JennyM
Originally published on alt.devilbunnies May, 2004.