I was shown to a guest room upstairs. I had a fantastic view of the Auckland Harbour Bridge. Before we went down to dinner, I wanted to do a bit of research. Learning to fight requires expert help, especially fighting humans. I hope most of our fights will be against animals, but if the world goes to shit, well, humans were shit to begin with.

I researched knife care, sharpening and fighting. I need some basic self-defence moves first. I am too old to learn any martial art crap, so I need to learn to punch and poison. I will practice a poison punch. Every hit will stack more poison in their system. All I need to do is stay alive and connect my punches. That is the hard part. Staying alive.

For me, the knife will be a backup weapon. I have a lot of extra testing to do for my poison. For instance, what thickness of leather can I get it through? Can I apply my poison to my knife or a spear?

We don’t have any ranged attack options except the spear gun. I wonder if the Navy can get me a gun licence as a Consultant. I think we need at least some hunting rifles. Put it on the list to ask. I am sure the Navy will not be considering anything else for us until the PR that Carla and Soph are doing has run its course. Unless an Anomaly appears.

There are other common tools around that can be used as a weapon. I need to get an axe. Living in the bush, I need to chop firewood, but I can use it on other things as well. The machete is bigger and more versatile than a knife. Some come with saw teeth on the rear side, and others with a hook. I can see a use for both. I need to get used to these tools so I am familiar with them.

I searched properties for sale or rent in the Waitakere Ranges area and nearby. There were some around. I narrowed the search to Karekare, Piha, Anawhata, and Bethells as my preferred areas. I booked marked some to go and look at.

Dinner was a simple affair. Sam cooked, which surprised me. I was expecting them to have a chef or something. There were just the four of us. It was a huge house for just four people. The dinner discussion was kept general. I had not been brought up to speed as to how much Sam had been told.

In the morning, I tried out their pool. I let Buck and Rich in as well, and Buck dived into the pool while Rich just watched from the edge. Swimming lengths in a pool are not the same as the ocean. Buck tried following me. The pool had a lap section to it, which was about twenty meters long. It takes five lengths to swim a hundred meters. It is quite short. And boring. I swam five hundred meters and then did the next five hundred completely underwater. Without flippers, it takes a while. Buck was fun trying to catch me while swimming on the surface.

When I surfaced, I noticed Sam watching me from an upstairs balcony. Oops. I gave her a wave. She smiled and waved back. She is a smart lady. I bet she has worked out much more than she was told.

I helped myself to breakfast in the kitchen and then joined Soph and Carla in their suite. They had a nice selection of teas, and I was trying something different from my normal supermarket green tea. It was called Matcha Tea, and I hadn’t heard of it before, not that I am a connoisseur or anything. Not bad.

“We have our first function tonight,” Soph said. “It is a formal meet-and-greet with the Mayor and Councillors. A couple of the Auckland Members of Parliament will be there, as well as some business leaders, including Mum. It is mostly just to parade us around and show people they are not afraid of us.”

“Do you want to come?” asked Carla.

“It sounds absolutely horrible,” I said, “Although when I got my poison touch, I did say I would go and shake the mayor's hand… but no. I will pass.”

A phone beeped. Soph looked at hers, “Amanda can make space to see us after lunch,’ she said. “She especially wants to see you, Bob. You skipped out on the major testing.”

“She did the major testing the first time I was in hospital,” I said

“Yeah,” said Carla, “but I think she wanted an update and to compare the results with the newbies. That is what she told me.”

“Well, she is going to be out of luck,” I said.

“Don’t be too hardline, Bob. She has things you want,” Carla said.

“What I want is to get laid,” I said.

“I don’t think Amanda is going to be into that,” Cara said.

“I would normally message you for a hook-up or find a bar or something.”

“I am not available while like this,” Carla said.

“What are you like down there, out of interest? Do you want me to take a look?”

“Soph and I have thoroughly examined each other. The inside is flesh and still sensitive, but the scales cover right over the slit. I could do with getting laid as well.”

“We could give it a go.”

“I don’t recommend it,” Carla said, “The dildo had layers scrapped off the side.”

I winced. I looked at Soph, “I bet Soph has a nice soft furry muff.”

“She does,” enthused Carla, “It is a shame the fur on her face covers over her blushing.”

Carla and I laughed.

“You lot are so mean,” Soph complained.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

“She’s the Bitch,” I said.

“And he’s the Bastard,” Carla finished.

“Hey, does your Mum have a boyfriend?” I asked.

“Shut up. And you guys better be careful because I am the Witch. You won’t even see it coming,” Soph said.

Then my phone rang. It was my real estate agent.

“We have a buyer,” she gushed when I answered. “It is above market price. They want an immediate settlement for cash. This is what you wanted, right?”

“Yes, but the adverts haven’t even started.”

“We haven’t even cleaned the place for the photos yet. Do you want to take it or push for a bit more?”

“No, we will take it.”

“Great. I am emailing the contract now. I will talk to you once you have read it, " she said, and then she hung up.

“Good news?” Carla asked.

I looked at Soph, “Did your mum just go out and buy my apartment?”

“She wanted to do something nice for you to say thanks for helping me. Plus, it is in a nice area, and she will have no problem letting it out.”

“You said she doesn’t have a boyfriend, right?”

“She does, actually, but it is kept very private,” Soph said.

“You just made that up.”

“No, I have actually met him,” Carla said, “She does.”

“Bugger.”

I was reviewing the real estate contract when Soph said, “Hey, look at this.”

She had a social media site up. There was a picture of me in shades with the window down, talking to the goon at the gate. There were big letters with “Who is this Bastard? Who are the Bitch and the Witch?” then there was a recording of my conversation with the guard captured with their “special microphones.” “Are they code names? Is this a government conspiracy?” “Why was the Bastard let in and has not come out?” etc.

“This has gone viral,” said Soph. “The general consensus is that you are the Bitch, Carla, and I am the Witch with unknown mystical powers, and the government is hiding something.”

“Well, they got it right on all counts,” I said.

“The Navy PR is not going to be happy,” Soph said.

“This is just normal Bob,” Carla said. “If they didn’t know that before, they needed to be fired.”

“I am pretty sure most government employees need to be fired,” I said.

The appointment with Amanda was at the hospital. We went by Helicopter. Of course, the Hardcastle Estate had a helipad on their property. The helicopter itself was a rental. Sam had no need for a permanent one and, therefore, wasn’t going to waste the money.

It meant the media throng was left behind.

“You skipped out on me.” Amanda accused.

“I know you are such a fine person, and you would not normally be stood up, but in my defence, I really needed to go and lie on a beach for a while,” I replied.

“The Navy was not going to include you in the contract because of the way you behaved. Carla was adamant you had to be included, and Sophia wouldn’t sign it if Carla didn’t.”

“Soph, you cut me to the heart,” I said, putting my hand to my heart to cover the wound.

“You really are a Bastard,” Soph said.

“Those memes are actually you, then?” Amanda asked.

“There are memes?”

“There are,” Amanda said, “and the Navy wants to cut you out for breach of contract.”

I looked at Soph.

“Mum’s lawyers have asked them to specify which clause was breached because they can’t see it,” Soph replied, “They wrote those media clauses.”

“You really are working your witchy magic, aren’t you?” I said.

“You had better watch your back,” Soph said threateningly.

“I hope you have something better for me to take back to the navy than, “I lay on a beach for a week,” Amanda said.

“Well, I also did a lot of swimming,”

“Bob,” Carla warned.

“Right. On task. I want to propose an information swap,” I said.

“What information do you have?” Amanda asked.

“That would be me telling you information, not swapping information.”

“What information do you want?”

“I want access to all the latest research information on the different anomalies and mutations here and worldwide,” I said.

“That is a lot of information,” She replied. “We have seen no evidence you can understand it or that it would be of any use to you. A degree in engineering is not exactly relevant.”

“What I have is experience with an anomaly and mutations. My information helped Soph bond with live mutant dogs.”

Amanda looked at Soph, and both she and Carla nodded.

“Can you make it happen again?” Amanda asked.

“I can share the same information, but I am pretty sure it was linked to this particular anomaly and the type of essence it produced. That is partly why I need information on other anomalies. I would like to experience other anomalies.”

“Giving you access to the research seems possible. The Joint Military Forces have compiled a database. However, if it leaks, you will be buried very deep,” she warned. “What can you give me?”

“You know Carla’s transformation requires active essence use?”

“It is the leading theory.”

“I can confirm it, as we have an essence link, and my essence is needed for it.”

She nodded.

‘Let me prove that essence can be actively used in some mutations. Do you have a piece of fruit or something else you don’t like? Maybe someone you don’t like, depending on your ethics?”

I showed her what I could do, and she saw the needles being created. She had me do it during an ultrasound scanner and some other thing. It turned into a long afternoon, and Carla and Soph had to leave to prepare for their meet-and-greet. I would make my own way back to the Hardcastle Shack.

“Thank you, Bob. You have more than earned your salary.” Amanda said as we were finishing.

“Can I take you out to dinner to seal the deal?” I asked.

“My husband would not approve of that, but thank you for the offer.”

Bugger. I am never going to get laid.