Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Character #1:

Name: Augusta Steel

Age: 22 (born July 25th, 2003, Leo)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), Meredith Green, nee Gallagher (aunt, alive), Dallas Green (uncle, alive), Diego (cousin, alive), Eloise (cousin, alive), Zoey (cousin, alive), unnamed aunts (alive), unnamed uncles (alive), unnamed cousins (alive), unnamed parents (alive), Isabella Steel (older sister, alive), unnamed brother-in-law (alive), Tessa Steel (niece, alive).

Occupation: Police Officer at the Intelligence Unit

Personality: Persistent, sassy, kind, gentle, loving, funny, and smart.

Likes: Her family, her friends, working, makeup, fashion, anime, manga, cooking, baking, comedy TV, fantasy TV, romance TV, reality TV, crime TV, game shows, documentaries, romance, cold weather, and redheads.

Dislikes: Isabella (her sister, sometimes), Sapphire Springs Ranch, human experimentation, drugs, crimes, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, blood, violence, gore, horror TV shows, horror movies, hot weather, and fruitcake.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Chocolate, vanilla ice cream, coffee, milk, protein shakes, and water.

Backstory: Growing up, Augusta loved Isabella, who is eighteen years older than her, and looked up to her. However, Isabella, who was obsessed with the idea of human experimentation, tried to get her to see the benefits of it, no matter how much Augusta refused out of fear. It eventually came to the point where their parents no longer allowed Isabella to visit. A year ago, when she entered the police force and was assigned to the Intelligence Unit, her boss, Hank Varner, took her under his wing, saying that she reminds him of his daughter, Francesca. Augusta still loves Isabella, but she has to arrest her and some of the staff at Sapphire Springs Ranch for the sake of her community.

Character(s) She's Based On: Renee Ballard (Bosch, Bosch: Legacy, Ballard), and Momo Ayase (DanDaDan).

Character #2:

Name: Hank Varner

Age: 64 (born December 25th, Capricorn)

Family: Unnamed parents (deceased), unnamed older brothers (alive), unnamed older sister (alive), unnamed younger brother (alive), unnamed younger sister (alive), unnamed wife (alive), unnamed sons (alive), Francesca (daughter, alive).

Occupation: Police officer. Leader of the Intelligence Unit.

Personality: Tough, uncompromising, strict, caring, overprotective, has a bit of a gentle side, loving, and fatherly.

Likes: His family, his friends, his officers, working, when things get done.

Dislikes: Sapphire Springs Ranch, when he says things he doesn't mean, yelling at people, his officers getting hurt, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, missing out on work, being sick, and liver and onions.

Favorite Food(s)/Drinks(s): Grilled chicken, mixed greens salad, coffee, milk, and water.

Backstory: He's the middle child of six siblings, and had the dream of becoming a police officer ever since his first career day at school. Growing up, he protected his family, friends, other kids, and teachers, making him a tough but kind person. After a few years of being a police officer, he was made to be the leader of the Intelligence Unit. When Augusta, then a rookie police officer, was assigned to it, he took her under his wing, saying that she reminds him of his daughter, Francesca.

Character(s) He's Based On: Hank Voight from Chicago P.D.

Character #3:

Name: Hailey Underwood

Age: 22 (born February 21st, 2001, Pisces)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older brother (alive), unnamed older sister (alive), unnamed younger brother (alive), Isaac (pet male Shih Tzu dog, alive), Tommy (pet male Pekingese dog, alive), Lana (pet female Calico cat, alive), Emily (pet female Siberian cat, alive).

Occupation: Cashier At Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Eatery, paid Police Intelligence Unit volunteer 

Personality: Kind, fearless, gentle, curious.

Likes: Her family, her friends, anime, manga, telling jokes, giving presents, cooking, baking, drawing, traveling, comedies, and reading.

Dislikes: Working, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, impatient customers, messes, and the Got To Get You Into My Life burger (a burger served at Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Eatery).

Favorite Food(s)/Drinks(s): Macaroni and cheese, chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream, coffee, milk, protein shakes, energy drinks, wine, and water.

Backstory: She was Augusta Steel's childhood friend who started working at Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Eatery to keep an eye on Sapphire Springs Ranch, which is nearby. This also means she's a paid volunteer for the Police Department's Intelligence Unit.

Character(s) She's Based On: Hailey Upton from Chicago P.D.

Character #4:

Name: Sara Abbott

Age: 24 (born February 21st, 2001, Pisces)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older brother (alive), unnamed older sister (alive), unnamed younger brother (alive), unnamed in-laws (alive), unnamed nieces (alive), unnamed nephews (alive), unnamed boyfriend (alive).

Occupation: Grill Cook At Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Eatery, paid Police Intelligence Unit volunteer 

Personality: Kind, fearless, talented, perfectionist, excitable, dedicated, gentle, curious.

Likes: Her family, her friends, anime, manga, telling jokes, giving presents, giving advice, working, cooking, baking, anime, manga, comedies, and reading.

Dislikes: When things go wrong, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, impatient customers, working (sometimes), messes, and 

Favorite Food(s)/Drinks(s): Grilled cheese sandwich, coffee, tea, chai, milk, protein shakes, energy drinks, wine, and water.

Backstory: Her grandfather was a chef, and this was passed on to his son, Sara's father, who decided to open a restaurant like his father did. Her mother was obsessed with The Beatles, so keeping this in mind as he prepares to open it, and it opened on their first anniversary. Sara's father passed on his love of cooking to his children, who work at the locations his father's ancestors helped to open. Upon hearing about Sapphire Springs Ranch from Hailey, she feels an overwhelming desire to help, therefore becoming a paid Police Intelligence Unit volunteer like Hailey. Her grandparents, parents, siblings, boyfriend, in-laws, nieces, and nephews are very proud of her and will continue to support her every step of the way.

Character(s) She's Based On: Sydney Adamu from The Bear.

Character #5:

Name: James Nolan

Age: 45 (born September 25th, 1980, Libra)

Family: Unnamed parents (alive)

Occupation: Police officer of the Intelligence Unit.

Personality: Kindhearted, determined, empathetic, sympathetic, tends to overthink, wise

Likes: His family, his friends, sharing, anime, manga, TV shows, and movies.

Dislikes: Crime, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, cults, creepy things, horror TV shows, horror movies, and Hawaiian pizza.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Cheeseburgers, French fries, Coca-Cola, coffee, beer, milk, energy drinks, and water.

Backstory: Growing up as an only child to police officer parents, he was inspired to be just like them. He is the very first member of the Police Intelligence Unit, and is more than happy to share what he knows with others.

Character(s) He's Based On: John Nolan from The Rookie.

Character #6:

Name: Kimberly "Maria" Marshall

Age: 36 (born October 25th, 1989, Scorpio)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed mother (alive), unnamed father (alive) unnamed maternal aunts and uncles (alive), unnamed maternal cousins (alive), unnamed paternal grandparents (alive), unnamed paternal aunts and uncles (alive), unnamed paternal cousins (alive) unnamed older sisters (alive), unnamed younger sisters (alive).

Occupation: Police officer of the Intelligence Unit

Personality: Resilient, kind, gentle, smart, and funny.

Likes: Her family, her friends, working, girl power, cooking, baking, music, singing, dancing, theater, anime, manga, comedy TV shows, and movies.

Dislikes: Rap music, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, crime science fiction TV shows, science fiction movies, and meat/animal products.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Panzanella salad (with vegan no-nut mozzarella cheese), vegan chocolate chip cookies, coffee with coconut milk, coconut milk, and water.

Backstory: Her father wasn't in the picture, so she grew up with her mother and sisters. Her only father figures are her grandfather and uncle. Growing up among women, she realizes the backlash women face, and decided to be strong, so she joined the police force and was quickly assigned to the Intelligence Unit.

Character(s) She's Based On: Kim Burgess from Chicago P.D.

Character #7:

Name: Timothy Brooks

Age: 38 (born March 21st, 1987, Aries)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older brother (alive), unnamed younger sister (alive)

Occupation: Police Officer, member of the Intelligence Unit.

Personality: Tough, strict, harsh, slightly judgmental, has a gentle side, can be funny at times, nosy, and curious.

Likes: His family, his friends, working, anime, manga, and rock music.

Dislikes: Rap music, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, people not taking things seriously, when his questions aren't answered, almond cake, and almond milk.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Chocolate cake, coffee cake, coffee, tea, beer, milk, protein shakes, energy drinks, and water.

Backstory: As his parents were always at work growing up, Timothy, his older brother, and his younger sister often stayed with their grandparents, who also homeschooled them. From them, he learned about the harshness the Jewish people faced in World War 2, as his grandfather's Jewish. From there, he developed a sense of justice, deciding that no matter what, justice will come. This led him to join the police department and he was assigned to the Intelligent Unit.

Character(s) He's Based On: Tim Bradford from The Rookie.

Character #8:

Name: Lucia O'Brien

Age: 28 (born February 21st, 1997, Pisces)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older brother (alive) unnamed older sister (alive), unnamed younger brothers (alive), unnamed younger sisters (alive)

Occupation: Police Officer of the Intelligence Unit

Personality: Kind, empathetic, sympathetic, hardworking, loving, smart, and funny

Likes: Her family, her friends, working, cooking, baking, anime, manga, music, singing, and dancing.

Dislikes: Being scolded, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, not getting work done, getting distracted, and fish.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Bologna sandwiches, saltine crackers, broccoli, coffee, wine, milk, chocolate-flavored protein shakes, and water.

Backstory: Growing up, she was always inspired by her older siblings, who taught her and her younger siblings empathy and fighting. This led to her dream of becoming a police officer. She successfully passed in the Police Academy and got a job at the local police department, where she was quickly assigned to the Intelligence Unit.

Character(s) She's Based On: Lucy Chen from The Rookie.

Character #9:

Name: Carlos Seminario 

Age: 29 (born June 21st, 1996, Cancer)

Family: Unnamed maternal grandparents (alive), unnamed paternal grandparents (alive), unnamed maternal aunts and uncles (alive), unnamed paternal aunts and uncles (alive), unnamed maternal cousins (alive), unnamed paternal cousins (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older brothers (alive), unnamed older sister (alive), unnamed younger brother (alive), unnamed younger sister (alive).

Occupation: Police officer of the Intelligence Unit.

Personality: Loving, kind, gentle, protective, sympathetic, empathetic, smart, funny.

Likes: His family, his friends, cooking, baking, anime, manga, and music.

Dislikes: Burnt food, hypnosis, brainwashing, mind control, porn, and pork.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Paella, coffee, milk, and water.

Backstory: He is Mexican on his mother's side and grew up in a large house with immediate family members. He, his older brothers, his older sister, his younger brother, his younger sister, and his cousins didn't go to school, so they learned by reading books and watching their grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Carlos grew a love of cooking by helping his maternal grandmother cook in the kitchen, which she always did. He also grew a sense of love for his community, which led him to join the police force, therefore being assigned to the Intelligence Unit.

Character(s) He's Based On: Carlos Reyes from 9-1-1 Lone Star.

Character #10:

Name: Simone Cameron.

Age: 55 (born August 1st, 1970, Leo)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (deceased), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older sisters (alive), unnamed older brother (alive), unnamed younger brother (alive), unnamed younger sisters (alive)

Occupation: Director of the FBI.

Personality: Proud, gentle, kind, gentle, enthusiastic, brave, funny, and smart.

Likes: Her family, her friends, being Black, working, cooking, baking, and sharing.

Dislikes: Racist people, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, unsolved crimes, and yogurt.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Cheese pizza, coffee, milk, protein shakes, and water.

Backstory: She grew up in an all-Black neighborhood and was homeschooled. Growing up in this neighborhood made her learn to love her culture, including the food. Her love for the Black community led to her joining the police force, and after finding success in that, she decided to become an FBI Agent.

Character(s) She's Based On: Simone Clark from The Rookie.

Character #11:

Name: Jay Hamilton

Age: 41 (born June 25th, 1984, Cancer)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed younger brother (alive)

Occupation: Police officer in the Intelligence Unit.

Personality: Protective, confident, kind, gentle, funny, and smart.

Likes: His family, his friends, protecting others, cooking, baking, jokes, anime, manga, singing, and dancing.

Dislikes: When people get hurt, hypnosis, brainwashing, the idea of mind control, porn, gross stuff, and broccoli salad.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Apples, grapes, vanilla cake, mint chocolate chip ice cream, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milk, protein shakes, energy drinks, and water.

Backstory: Growing up, Jay was very protective of his younger brother, helping him with anything. This often meant he had little time for himself, but he didn't mind. His love for his family led to him joining the police force, where he was then assigned to the Intelligence Unit.

Character(s) He's Based On: Jay Hallstead from Chicago P.D.

Character #12:

Name: Olivia Barnes

Age: 56 (born June 25th, 1969, Cancer)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older brother (alive), unnamed younger sister (alive), unnamed husband (alive), unnamed son (alive), unnamed daughter (alive).

Occupation: Captain of the Police Department's Special Victims Unit.

Personality: Motherly, empathetic, sympathetic, friendly, gentle, kind, brave, dedicated, compassionate, funny, and smart.

Likes: Her family, her friends, working, sharing, telling stories, cooking, baking, and helping others.

Dislikes: Criminals, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, seeing people get hurt, and artichokes.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Watermelon, cheese, coffee, milk, and water.

Backstory: Her older brother had problems at school growing up, which led to her helping him whenever she could. She also helped her younger sister. This led to her increasing feelings of empathy, which led to her landing a job at the Police Department's Special Victim's Unit, eventually becoming captain and working alongside detective Elliot Smith.

Character(s) She's Based On: Olivia Benson from Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.

Character #13:

Name: Elliot Smith

Age: 64 (born February 21st, 1961, Pisces)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (deceased), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed wife (alive), unnamed sons (alive), unnamed daughters (alive)

Occupation: Detective at the Police Department.

Personality: Empathetic, commanding, protective, fierce, and smart.

Likes: His family, his friends, being a detective, protecting people, cooking, baking, Olivia's empathetic nature.

Dislikes: Cold cases, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, blood, gore, horror movies, and sardines.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Chicken curry over rice, coffee, milk, and water.

Backstory: Both his grandfather and father were detectives, which inspired him to do the same. Years of training have clearly paid off, as he is now a detective, working hard to support his wife, sons, and daughters.

Character(s) He's Based On: Elliot Stabler from Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and Law and Order: Organized Crime.

Character #14:

Name: Madeline Bailey

Age: 42 (born June 21st, 1983, Cancer)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older sister (alive), unnamed younger brother (alive).

Occupation: FBI Agent.

Personality: Gentle, kind, loving, empathetic, sympathetic, brave, curious, smart, and funny.

Likes: Her family, her friends, working, singing, dancing, cooking, baking, and reading.

Dislikes: Horror movies, hypnosis, brainwashing, mind-control, porn, someone or something hurting her family, someone or something hurting her friends, and key lime pie.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Coconut cream pie, coffee, milk, protein shakes, energy drinks, and water.

Backstory: Madeline was really close to her older sister growing up. When the older sister was away at college, she was raped, and while she didn't tell the police much out of fear, she told Madeline everything and begged her not to tell anyone. Although Madeline agreed, she later told the police, who later arrested the criminal. Madeline thought her sister would be mad, but instead, her sister hugged her, thanking her for helping her. Wanting to bring justice to more criminals, she became an FBI agent, working alongside Julian and Simone, and sometimes Daniel. She has known Augusta since she was little, being her next-door neighbor. They were good friends and she would babysit her when her parents weren't home.

Character(s) She's Based On: Maggie Bell from FBI.

Character #15:

Name: Patrick Foster

Age: 41 (born December 18th, 1984, Sagittarius)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older brothers (alive), unnamed younger sisters (alive)

Occupation: Police officer of the Intelligence Unit.

Personality: Loyal, hardworking, kind, funny, and smart.

Likes: His family, his friends, working, telling jokes, giving gifts, giving advice, cooking, baking, anime, manga, singing, dancing, and learning.

Dislikes: Politics, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, blood, gore, violence, hot weather, and mushrooms.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Grilled cheese sandwich, coffee, milk, soda, and water.

Backstory: Because his parents were often at work while he was growing up, he. his two older brothers, and his two younger sisters were mostly raised by their grandparents. Their grandfather was a police officer, and he often told them stories about his days on the job. Inspired, Patrick signed up for the Police Academy as soon as he finished college, where he successfully began his career as a police officer in the Intelligence Unit.

Character(s) He's Based On: Adam Ruzek from Chicago P.D.

Character #16:

Name: Sylvia Black

Age: 35 (born February 22nd, 1990, Pisces)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older brother (alive), unnamed older sister (alive), unnamed younger brother (alive)

Occupation: Cashier At Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Eatery, paid Police Intelligence Unit volunteer 

Personality: Compassionate, kind, dedicated, funny, and smart.

Likes: Her family, her friends, anime, manga, telling jokes, giving presents, cooking, baking, drawing, helping people, listening to music, singing, dancing, comedies, and reading.

Dislikes: When patients die in the ambulance, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, violence, blood, gore, and durian.

Favorite Food(s)/Drinks(s): Apples, bananas, watermelons, coffee, milk, protein shakes, energy drinks, wine, and water.

Backstory: Her mother was a paramedic, always working and sometimes not coming home until late or even the next day. Sylvie worried for her mother, but also greatly admired her. She was mostly worried, though, as she would always hug her mother when she would come home, smelling her beach-scented perfume. Her love for her mother never changed as she grew up, and as soon as she graduated college, she went to medical school to become a paramedic.

Character(s) She's Based On: Sylvie Brett from Chicago Fire.

Character #17:

Name: Veronica Morris

Age: 28 (born March 26th, 1997, Aries)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older sisters (alive), unnamed younger brothers (alive)

Occupation: Paramedic.

Personality: Competitive, kind, sassy, confident, protective, funny, and smart.

Likes: Her family, her friends, anime, manga, telling jokes, giving presents, girl-power, competition, cooking, baking, drawing, and reading.

Dislikes: When strategies don't work, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, impatient customers, messes, and Limburger cheese.

Favorite Food(s)/Drinks(s): Kale salad, chocolate coconut cake, chocolate ice cream, coffee, tea, chai, milk, protein shakes, energy drinks, wine, and water.

Backstory: Growing up, her and her siblings would often engage in some friendly competitions, which made Violet love the thrill of the contest. However, as a paramedic, she doesn't really compete, but this background results in her making fast decisions, which mostly helps, but sometimes it doesn't.

Character(s) She's Based On: Violet Mikami from Chicago Fire.

Character #18:

Name: Stella-Luna Kennedy.

Age: 34 (born August 25th, 1991, Virgo)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older sisters (alive), unnamed younger brothers (alive)

Occupation: Paramedic.

Personality: Independent, confident, brave, kind, gentle, helpful, compassionate, sympathetic, empathetic, funny, and smart.

Likes: Her family, her friends, anime, manga, telling jokes, giving presents, giving advice, astronomy, astrology, helping people, cooking, baking, drawing, traveling, comedy TV shows, comedy movies, romance TV shows, romance movies, and reading.

Dislikes: Drugs, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, being sick, violence, blood, gore, and salmon.

Favorite Food(s)/Drinks(s): Rocky road ice cream, coffee, tea, chai, milk, protein shakes, energy drinks, wine, and water.

Backstory: Her parents were astronomers, and her siblings also had astrological-themed names. Her parents were very peaceful people, and as she was homeschooled, she would often help her parents with work. Since her parents also did a little work with astrology, she believed that fate will decide her future, and due to her love of helping people, she believes that becoming a paramedic was the fate that was in store for her, and she loves her job. Her parents are still very peaceful people, and always check in on her, even during work hours, which she doesn't really mind that much, but sometimes she has to cut the calls short because of her demanding job and people wanting her help, which she is always glad to give.

Character(s) She's Based On: Stella Kidd from Chicago Fire.

Character #19:

Name: Maggie Lawrence

Age: 46 (born May 18th, 1979, Taurus)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (deceased), unnamed mother (alive), unnamed father (alive), unnamed older sisters (alive), unnamed younger brothers (alive), unnamed husband (alive), unnamed sons (alive), unnamed daughters (alive).

Occupation: Nurse.

Personality: Kind, gentle, dedicated, sympathetic, empathetic, helpful, loyal, funny, and smart.

Likes: Her family, her friends, working, helping people, finding cures, telling jokes, cooking, baking, singing, dancing, and reading.

Dislikes: Making mistakes (even minor ones), hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, cases where the person dies, crying, messes, and kimchi.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Tabbouleh, coffee, tea, milk, and water.

Backstory: Her father was out of the picture after cheating with a stripper, so she, her two older sisters, and her two younger brothers were raised by their mother with some help from their grandparents. Maggie would help in any way she can, which led to her being inspired to help more people. This led to her going to medical school and becoming a nurse. When she was an intern, her supervisor was Dominic Archer.

Character(s) She's Based On: Maggie Lockwood from Chicago Med.

Character #20:

Name: Dominic Archer

Age: 64 (born January 21st, 1961, Aquarius)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (deceased), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed wife (alive), unnamed sons (alive), unnamed daughters (alive).

Occupation: Medical doctor.

Personality: Brusque, polite, strict, harsh, has a gentle side, socially awkward, funny, and smart.

Likes: His family, his friends, working, cooking, baking, solving medical cases, and documentaries.

Dislikes: When things go wrong, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, mental illnesses, lemons.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Fried pork, coffee, milk, and water.

Backstory: Due to his father suffering from a mental illness and his mother constantly working, he lived at his grandparents' house. He was homeschooled by his grandparents and they taught him that he doesn't have to be like his father. Because of his father, he's afraid of mental illness, but thanks to this advice and his grandparents giving him a great life, he went through medical school and became a doctor, where he then met his soon-to-be wife. They would then go on to have three sons and two daughters. His very first intern was Maggie Lawrence.

Character(s) He's Based On: Dean Archer from Chicago Med.

Character #21:

Name: Dylan Chamberlain 

Age: 65 (born January 15th, 1960, Capricorn)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (deceased), unnamed parents (deceased), unnamed younger sister (alive), unnamed wife (alive), unnamed son (alive), unnamed daughters (alive).

Occupation: Hospital Head of Psychiatry.

Personality: Wise, compassionate, kind, gentle, sympathetic, empathetic, smart, and funny.

Likes: His family, his friends, helping people, giving advice, cooking, baking, romance novels, comedy TV shows, and comedy movies.

Dislikes: Harold "Hank" Grayson, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, medieval psychology treatments, and iceberg lettuce.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Chicken caprese pasta, caprese salad, coffee, tea, milk, and water.

Backstory: He knew Harold "Hank" Grayson, the doctor at Sapphire Springs Ranch, growing up, as they went to the same school. The two often fought over trivial things. However, not wanting to get in trouble, Daniel always tried his best to remain calm and ignore him. Because of his nature to remain calm, he wanted to use this to help others, leading him to join the psychiatry department at the hospital, of which he later became the head of.

Character(s) He's Based On: Daniel Charles from Chicago Med.

Character #22:

Name: Meredith Green, nee Gallagher.

Age: 44 (born January 26th, 1981, Aquarius)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed mother (alive), unnamed father (alive), Dallas Green (husband, alive), Diego (son, alive), Eloise (oldest daughter, alive), Zoey (youngest daughter, alive).

Occupation: Hospital Head Surgeon.

Personality: Compassionate, resilient, confident, motherly, kind, gentle, sympathetic, empathetic, helpful, loyal, funny, and smart.

Likes: Her family, her friends, working, helping people, documentaries, learning new things, cooking, baking, anime, manga, reading, mystery TV shows, mystery movies.

Dislikes: Not being able to help people, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, cases where the person dies, the people at Sapphire Springs Ranch, being scared, and limes.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Couscous, coffee, tea, milk, and water.

Backstory: Her father cheated on her mother shortly before her birth, so her mother raised her alone with the help of her grandparents. Her mother was a surgeon, which inspired her. This led to her going to medical school immediately after graduating college, and when she became a surgeon, she learned under her mother, who still works there, but as the hospital medical director. She was also Augusta's mother's childhood friend, so she has known Augusta since she was a baby and loves her very much, so she is glad to work with her on this case.

Character(s) She's Based On: Meredith Grey from Grey's Anatomy.

Character #23:

Name: Kevin Armstrong

Age: 36 (born March 21st, 1989, Aries)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older brother (alive), unnamed younger sister (alive), unnamed sister-in-law (alive), unnamed nieces (alive), unnamed nephews (alive), unnamed girlfriend (alive).

Occupation: Police officer at the Intelligence Unit.

Personality: Respectable, independent, kind, gentle, fierce, protective, smart, and funny.

Likes: His family, his friends, working, cooking, baking, anime, manga, and documentaries.

Dislikes: Racist people, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, bullying, violence, and jalapenos (he hates any spicy food).

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Tacos (the kind that aren't spicy), coffee, milk, protein shakes, energy drinks, and water.

Backstory: Growing up in a Black neighborhood, his parents were always working to provide a life for their children, leading his older brother to raise both him and his younger sister. The trio were often regarded as "heroes" in their neighborhood, as they always defended the other children from being bullied, most often by White children. They would also play with them. Inspired by his older brother's bravery and kindness, he successfully passed the Police Academy and became a police officer, being assigned to the Intelligence Unit.

Character(s) He's Based On: Kevin Atwater from Chicago P.D.

Character #24:

Name: Daniel Harrison

Age: 55 (born March 25th, 1970, Aries)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (alive), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older brother (alive), unnamed older sister (alive), unnamed younger brother (alive), unnamed younger sister (alive), unnamed wife (alive), unnamed sons (alive), unnamed daughters (alive)

Occupation: SWAT officer.

Personality: Caring, bold, intense, protective, hardworking, respectful, kind, funny, and smart.

Likes: His family, his friends, working, telling jokes, giving advice, cooking, baking, anime, manga, reading, romance novels, animals, comedy TV, comedy movies, reality TV, cooking shows, baking shows, game shows, and documentaries.

Dislikes: Horror movies, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, criminals, gangs, violence, blood, gore, the people at Sapphire Springs Ranch, diseases, and poached eggs.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Veggie lo mein, broccoli, corn on the cob, tomatoes, coffee, tea, milk, protein shakes, energy drinks, and water.

Backstory: He lived in a house with his grandparents, parents, older brother, older sister, younger brother, and younger sister. He, along with his siblings, were homeschooled, and as part of it, they had to do community service. But he wondered: is this all he can do to protect his community? Just picking up trash and donating? What if there was another way? It was then he learned about SWAT, and upon graduating college, he passed the Police Academy and was a police officer for a short while before being assigned to a SWAT team, where he remains to be a part of to this day. He has known Augusta since she was little, being a friend of her father's, and he's glad to work alongside her in this mission. Anime and manga are like a guilty pleasure for him, but he mostly reads romance novels and watches comedy TV, comedy movies, reality TV, cooking shows, game shows, and documentaries most of the time.

Character(s) He's Based On: Daniel "Hondo" Harrison from SWAT.

Character #25:

Name: Tracy Pratt

Age: 65 (born November 24th, 1960, Scorpio)

Family: Unnamed grandparents (deceased), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older sister (alive), unnamed younger brother (alive), Michael Pratt (husband, alive), unnamed son (alive), unnamed daughter (alive), unnamed son-in-law (alive), unnamed daughter-in-law (alive), unnamed grandsons (alive), unnamed granddaughters (alive).

Occupation: Head of the Police Department.

Personality: Tough, strict, caring, harsh, protective, brave, has a funny side, and smart.

Likes: Her family, her friends, her employees, helping people, telling jokes, cooking, baking, keeping her city safe, singing, dancing, giving presents, reading, and doing puzzles.

Dislikes: Violence, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, crimes, criminals, and blueberry pie.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Barbecued steak, broccoli, corn on the cob, chocolate cake, coffee, tea, milk, chocolate milk, orange juice, apple juice, grape juice, and water.

Backstory: Raised under the protective care of their parents, she always wanted to be like them. She, her older sister, and her younger brother were homeschooled by their mother, who taught them to always help people. Wanting to do so, Trudy passed the Police Academy shortly after graduating from college. Due to her good deeds in the police department as an officer, she was promoted to head of the department.

Character(s) She's Based On: Trudy Platt from Chicago P.D.

Character #26:

Name: Julian Lambert

Age: 53 (born April 21st, 1972, Taurus).

Family: Unnamed grandparents (deceased), unnamed parents (alive), unnamed older brother (alive), unnamed older sister (alive), unnamed younger brother (alive), unnamed younger sisters (alive), unnamed wife (alive), unnamed sons (alive), unnamed daughters (alive).

Occupation: FBI Agent.

Personality: Dedicated, kind, gentle, hard-working, strict, harsh, has a funny side, brave, smart.

Likes: His family, his friends, working, telling jokes, giving advice, cooking, baking, planning dates for his wife, comedy TV shows, and comedy movies.

Dislikes: Violence, hypnosis, brainwashing, porn, violent crimes, criminals, the people Sapphire Springs Ranch, blood, gore, and raspberries.

Favorite Food(s)/Drink(s): Chicken noodle soup, spaghetti and meatballs, sausages, hash browns, pancakes, cornbread, garlic bread, coffee, tea, protein shakes, energy drinks, milk, and water.

Backstory: His father was an FBI Agent who always told him, his older brother, his older sister, his younger brother, and his younger sisters stories about his day on the job. Julian would always listen intently, as he always admired how his dad helps people. This admiration carried on as he grew up, which led to him entering the Police Academy immediately after graduation. He worked as a police officer for three years, which is where he met his wife, before becoming an FBI Agent. At a dinner to celebrate, he proposed to his wife and they got married, resulting in them having three sons and three daughters. He is also one of Madeline Bailey's superiors, but Simone Cameron is his boss, as she is the director of the FBI. His wife still works as a police officer, but is not in the Intelligence Unit.

Character(s) He's Based On: Jess LaCroix from FBI: Most Wanted (R.I.P Julian McMahon 😭.).

Chapter Text

It was 9:00 PM, and the moon was still rising. The night was still young, but Augusta Steel was ready for bed. She followed her girlfriend, a curly redhead by the name of Coco, out of the bar and into an empty alleyway. Once they stopped, Coco took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. She took out two cigarettes and offered one to Augusta.

"Oh, no thank you." Augusta said, gently waving her hands.

Coco shrugged. "Meh, suit yourself." She said, putting the cigarette back and lighting the other one up. "You're always such a party pooper, babe. You were drinking water in there instead of beer. What's with that?"

Augusta shrugged. "Just trying to be safe." She said.

Coco shrugged as she exhaled smoke from her cigarette. "Listen, babe, there's something I gotta tell ya."

Augusta turned to her. "What's that?"

Coco sighed. "You're a great gal, and I love ya, but..."

Augusta tilted her head in curiosity. "But...what?"

Coco sighed again. "I dunno, you're just...too careful."

"Since when's that a bad thing?" Augusta asked.

"You're not even fun." Coco said. "Girls who are not fun just ain't my type."

Augusta's eyes widened. "Wait wait wait, hold up. So...you're breaking up with me just because I'm not fun?"

Coco nodded. "Yeah, pretty much. But...we can still hang out, ya know? Just as friends."

Augusta could barely believe what she was hearing. Her girlfriend was breaking up with her? Because she was too careful? She was sad, but also angry.

"So when do you wanna hang out next?" Coco next as she inhaled more smoke from her cigarette. "And where? Salon, maybe? You need your hair done, girl."

Augusta shook her head. "Save it for your next girlfriend. I'm taking a taxi home."

"Oh, sorry, did I offend you or something?" Coco asked as Augusta began walking away.

Augusta looked back at Coco as she walked away. "Not only that, you made me not wanna love anyone anymore."

She stopped by a crosswalk and began hailing for a taxi. When one stopped for her, she quickly got in.

"Where to, miss?" The female driver asked.

"Bluebird Street, please." Augusta said.

"Will do, miss." The female driver replied.

As the taxi drove away, Augusta stared at the city lights, tears threatening to form and come out, but she held in it. She had to be strong.

Augusta grew up in the city with her parents. Her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins lived nearby, so she could visit them anytime she wanted to. But the most important person in her life was Isabella, her older sister. She greatly admired the woman who was eighteen years older than her, looking up to her. Isabella was strong and confident, and she loved her little sister, but she also loved something else: human experimentation. She liked it almost to the point of an obsession. No, not almost. It was an obsession. Isabella tried to get Augusta to discover it with her, to realize the benefits, but Augusta only refused, saying that it was abuse and stripping away a person's rights and freedom.

It didn't matter to Isabella, however. Day and night she would call her, begging her to reconsider. But Augusta had to be strong and firm, refusing each time. Each visit turned into a lesson on how it would benefit humanity, and possibly save it, but Augusta, and even their parents, had enough. Their parents no longer allowed Isabella from visiting, but she can call if she needs anything. The last time Augusta saw Isabella was when she was eighteen, and Isabella was thirty-six. Last thing Augusta heard, Isabella was living her dream: experimenting on humans, turning them into cows and bulls, milking the cows and forcing them to have sex with the bulls.

It was called Sapphire Springs Ranch, and it was recently put up for investigation after the mysterious disappearance of a woman named Ava. The police department's Intelligence Unit, which Augusta was a part of, is on the case, but Augusta knew that Isabella won't go down without a fight.

The next morning at work, Augusta sat at her computer, sipping her coffee from her to-go cup. She had just told the story of what happened last night, and questions began filling the air.

"Girl, what?" An officer named Lucia O'Brien asked.

"You're too careful?" Another officer named Kimberly Marshall, whom most people call Maria, asked. "Ridiculous!"

"I know, right?" Augusta sighed, the coffee not giving her the energy she wanted.

"But sometimes being too careful is a bad thing, you know?" A male officer, Timothy Brooks, asked. "Especially on the job. Sometimes, people gotta take risks."

"Ugh!" Augusta groaned. "Cut me some slack! My first girlfriend just broke up with me!"

Jay Hamilton, an officer who worked at the desk in front of her, turned to look at her. "And who told you not to go out with her?" He asked.

"Why'd you fall for her again?" James Nolan, an officer who worked at the desk behind her, asked.

Augusta blushed and looked away. "She was a redhead." She said as softly as she could.

Another officer, a Black man named Kevin Armstrong, rolled his eyes. "Figures." He said. "Those bitches."

Hearing that, Augusta stood up in defensive anger. "There's nothing wrong with liking redheads!" She shouted.

"We know." Jay said. "But a typical partner should be supportive." He sighed.

"Women like that don't exist anymore." Jay and Patrick said in unison.

"Ugh!" Augusta groaned in frustration, covering her eyes with her hands.

Suddenly, Hank Varner, the leader of the Intelligence Unit, walked out of his office, his steps demanding authority. Although he's a harsh man, he had a soft side for his family, friends, and employees. A year ago, when Augusta was a rookie, he supervised her, saying that he reminded her of his daughter, who was a prosecution lawyer and a very strong woman. He was harsh, sure, but it made her a better cop. She was sure of that.

"Alright, everybody, settle down!" Hank announced, making everyone in the room go silent and turn to him. "Our investigation into Sapphire Springs Ranch continues. Now, what do we know so far?"

"It's where unsuspecting men and women are turned into cows or bulls, sir, or hucows and hubulls, as they call them." Lucia answered. "They go through a series of tests, including breast enlargement and mind manipulation, and are then used for sex, milk production, or slavery."

"Dr.Dylan Chamberlain, the hospital psychiatrist, says the mind manipulation is reversible, sir." Jay said. "But depending on how long the individual has been there, it may take days to years."

"Sir, Dr.Meredith Green, the hospital's head surgeon, is also willing to perform surgery on the men and women to reduce the mass on their bodies." Maria said. "For example, the breasts on the hucows."

"Alright, very good." Hank continued. "Now, this place is very dangerous, and besides what we know, we don't know much else about this place, like how they do the transformations or mind manipulation procedures. So this is why we need someone to go undercover, find out how the place works. Is anyone up to the task?"

Everyone looked at each other, wondering who will take the job. To their shock, Augusta stood up without any hesitation.

"I'll do it." She said.

Everyone turned to her, some gasping. However, Hank remained calm as he gazed at her. "You sure, Augusta?" He asked.

Augusta nodded. "Yes. The owner of Sapphire Springs Ranch, Miss Isabella Steel, is my older sister. All my life, she has forced me to consider human experimentation, wanting me to see the benefits of it, but I refused. I can bring justice to those people, restore their humanity. And I know that the Isabella I looked up to as a child is still in there, just fighting to get out of that hardened exterior."

Everyone looked at her, their eyes widened. The only sounds in the room were soft breathing. Then, Timothy spoke up.

"She has a point." He said, nodding. "If she goes in there, undercover, of course, the hucows and hubulls would trust her more easily since she's Isabella's sister." He began to applaud.

"Yeah, let's go!" Kevin said, also applauding.

"Woo, you go, girl!" Lucia cheered, also applauding.

Everyone, except Augusta and Hank, applauded. Augusta just blushed slightly, looking down at the floor.

"Silence, everyone!" Hank commanded, making everyone quiet down. He walked toward Augusta and put a firm hand on her shoulder. "Augusta, you do know that you have to sleep there, right?"

Augusta nodded. "Right, sir."

"Now, we're going to protect you from the mind manipulation." Hank pulled out a small earbud from his pocket. "This earbud is imbedded with a camera and a microphone. Now, you'll also have to wear a bell around your neck, which assists with the mind manipulation. Also, it can't be taken off. Whenever it rings, the earbud will play a sound that will scramble your neurons, giving mixed messages and making the mind manipulation impossible to take hold. We're also gonna speak through the earpiece and guide you through everything, and you'll be able to talk to us. And this thing," he pointed at the earbud, "is so tiny, you'll be able to wear it while you sleep, okay?"

Augusta nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Now, at night, Officer Harrison from SWAT and Agents Bailey and Lambert and Director Cameron from the FBI will be there outside, waiting for you with an ambulance to bring any hucows and hubulls to the hospital. The ranch is empty at night, so it's perfect. Just be as quiet and calm as you can. Got it?"

Augusta nodded. "Yes, sir."

Hank patted her shoulder. "Good." He let go of her shoulder and turned to the others. "Alright, everyone, we have the FBI and SWAT on the case. In the meantime, do more research and send it to them. We need all the information we can get. Let's go, let's go!"

"Yes, sir!" Everyone chirped in unison.

Hank nodded. "Good. Let me know if you guys find anything else."

When he walked back into his office, Augusta sat back down at her desk. As she worked, she said, "Hey, guys, last night, I found a new anime we could watch together. It's called Pet. It was released in winter of 2020, and it's severely underrated. You guys wanna come by my house and watch it with me? I can make us all dinner and we can have a sleepover."

"Sure." Timothy said before peering at Augusta with a grin. "As long as you make your famous mac and cheese."

Augusta chuckled. "Sure. Let me text Hailey real quick and ask her if she wants to come."

Hailey Underwood was Augusta's childhood best friend. They never argued and spent every moment together. They were both homeschooled, being taught by Augusta's mother while Hailey's parents worked, and when they were both six years old, Hailey introduced Augusta to anime, and ever since then, it has been a huge part of Augusta's life. She never watched anything else besides comedy TV shows, comedy movies, and documentaries.

When Augusta turned on her phone, she saw that Hailey had texted her when she woke up at six.

Hailey: Morning girlie, how did ur date go last night 😘?????

Smiling sadly, Augusta tapped on the notification and signed into her phone. She texted back:

Augusta: She broke up with me because I was "too careful." Can u believe it? Ugh, the nerve 😒💔!

Almost immediately, there was an ellipsis, signifying that Hailey was texted back. When she did, she said:

Hailey: OMG noooooo 😭! Girlie, I am SO sorry! U r 2 good 4 her, anyways. Anyhoo, how's the case going?

Augusta: Hank needs someone to go undercover, so I volunteered! They're gonna protect me from mind manipulation and everything! 

Hailey: Oh, yay! Hey, ask Hank if he needs any extra hands. I just recently got a job at Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Eatery, which is right near Sapphire Springs Ranch. I can bring my special binoculars and spy with u 🕵️‍♀️🔭🍔.

Augusta: Wait, hold up. Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Eatery? That Beatles-themed fast food restaurant 😔🤔💭???

Hailey: IKR? It's so weird. First movies, then an animated TV show, then Funko Pops, then a Lego Yellow Submarine...what's next, a theme park 🤷‍♀️?????

Augusta: Actually, that could be pretty fun. They could call it the Magical Mystery Tour Park.

Hailey: Not responsible for your kids getting high on weed.

Those words make Augusta let out a laugh. She texted back.

Augusta: OMG LMAO 🤣!!!

Hailey: When my mom was little, she actually watched the TV show. She said it sucked.

Augusta: Oh! Speaking of TV shows, do u wanna come 2 my house tonight? I found a new anime we can watch together. It's called Pet. It from the 2020 winter season and it's severely underrated. My friends from Intelligence r coming 2. I'll make my famous mac and cheese and we can have a sleepover 🍝🧀😁🛌💤😴.

Hailey: Hmm...I dunno 😏. U think there'll be any hot guys?

Augusta: Maybe 😏...

Hailey: OK I'll come 😁!!!!!

Augusta: Yay 😁🎊🥳🎉🪅🪩🎈👯‍♂️👯‍♀️🕺💃! Dinner's at six thirty! We're watching it at seven!!!

Hailey: Should I bring dessert?????

Augusta: Ur famous molten lava chocolate cupcakes 🍫🧁? Um, hell yeah! And bring ice cream too! Vanilla ice cream 🍦!!!

Hailey: Will do! See u at six! Luv u, girlie 👋!!!!!

Augusta: Luv u 2, sweetie! See u then! Can't wait 2 see u 👋!!!

When she exited out of the conversation, Augusta scrolled mindlessly for a while until she came across Isabella's number. She tapped on the conversation to open it, seeing her last ever text to her, which was two months ago.

Augusta: I miss u, big sis 🥺🤗🫂. I love you ❤️.

The message had been left on read. Augusta sighed, wanting to delete the number. But she shouldn't. Isabella was her sister, after all. She was probably just busy with whatever human experimentation thing is currently going on at Sapphire Springs Ranch. Suddenly, her sad musings over her family were interrupted by Hank's voice.

"Augusta, get back to work!"

The words didn't startle her, but they did make Augusta look up. "Sorry, sir. Oh, by the way, my friend Hailey just got a job at Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Eatery, which is near Sapphire Springs Ranch. Maybe she can help spy on the ranch and help us. She has binoculars."

Hank nodded. "Sure. At this point, we'll need all the help we can get. I'll give her a walkie-talkie so she can communicate with you through the earpiece."

"Okay, cool. Hey, you wanna come to my house tonight? We're watching anime and I'm making my famous mac and cheese."

"Seriously, Sarge, you gotta try it." James pointed out. "It's freaking good."

Hank nodded, a slight smile on his face. "As much as I assume it is, I gotta focus on the mission tonight. But hey, save some for me, I'll eat it for lunch tomorrow."

As he walked away, Augusta turned back to her work with a grin. Tonight was gonna be fun.

That night, as soon as she got home at five o clock, Augusta put on her pajamas and her apron. She put bottles of water, wine, and beer in the fridge, then she took out three bowls, one big and two small, a cheese grater, several spoons, a whisk, olive oil, spray oil, a four quart baking dish, a pot, plastic wrap, and a saucepan, which she then put on the counter. She looked at everything with a happy sigh. It was time to make her famous mac and cheese.

Now, Augusta has a very unique mac and cheese recipe. She uses mozzarella, sharp orange cheddar, Colby jack, and Gruyere for her cheeses, which she shred into the bowl with precision, which she then covered with plastic wrap. After that, she preheated the oven to 350 F and lightly greased the baking dish with the spray oil.

She then poured water from the tap into the pot and put it on the stove, of course salting the water. She then took two boxes of ditalini, which, if she may suggest, is a very underrated pasta, especially if you're making mac and cheese, from the cupboard. Following the package instructions, she began cooking the pasta, stopping just one minute shy of al dente, after which she removed the pasta from the heat and drained it. She poured in a tablespoon of the olive oil and stirred it in, coating the pasta, before setting it aside.

She then heated up the stove and put the saucepan on it, letting it come to a medium-high heat before taking out some butter and putting in four tablespoons of it. She then took out the flour, scooped out a third of a cup, and put it in the pan. She whisked until it was golden and bubbly, and that was when she got out some more spices: pepper and paprika. She then took out milk and heavy cream, putting in three cups of the milk and one cup of the heavy cream. She continued whisking until it was creamy and smooth, then kept going until it was bubbly on the surface, and then, two minutes later, she sprinkled in salt and pepper. She tasted the sauce after each sprinkle and stir until she tasted it, but not too much so it would overpower the dish.

She took the bowl of cheese and removed the plastic wrapping. She gradually added in two cups of the cheese mixture, stirring each time until it was nice and thick, leaving some cheese in the bowl for later. After whisking, she poured the now-cool ditalini into the sauce, stirring it until it was coated.

Here's where her recipe gets unique: before she puts the first layer of the pasta and cheese mixture into the four quart baking dish, she thaws frozen broccoli and frozen peas in the microwave. Then, when she puts the first layer of the pasta and cheese mixture into the four quart baking dish, she first tops it with the broccoli, then some of the cheese, then the peas, and then the rest of the cheese. After adding in the second layer of the pasta and cheese mixture, she took out another four tablespoons of butter and put it in another small bowl before putting it in the microwave. Once it was cooled, she took it out and in the second small bowl, she stirred in cornflake crumbs, parmesan cheese, the melted butter, and paprika. She then sprinkled it all over the top of the mac and cheese and put it in the now heated oven. Once she closed the oven door, she took out a pair of oven gloves.

"Hey Google, set a timer for thirty minutes." Augusta called to her home assistant.

"Sure." Her home assistant said, the voice female. "Thirty minutes, and we're starting...now."

As soon as the voice finished talking, there was a knock on the door. Augusta went to open it, and she saw James, Hailey, Maria, Timothy, Lucia, her fellow officer Carlos, Jay, Patrick, and Kevin. In one hand, Hailey held a cake carrier full of her molten lava chocolate cupcakes with chocolate buttercream frosting and rainbow sprinkles, and in her other hand were two buckets of vanilla ice cream . Seeing them, Augusta smiled.

"Hi, guys!" She said excitedly. She stood back and gestured inside the house. "Come on in! I just put dinner in the oven!"

James sniffed the air as he went inside, the rest of the group following him. "Mmm..." he said, "smells good as usual."

"Glad you like it, James!" Augusta said. She turned to Hailey. "Hi, girl!" Upon seeing the cupcakes and ice cream in her hands, she squealed. "Eee! You brought the cupcakes and ice cream!"

"I said I would!" Hailey said as she put the sweets on the counter and ran to her best friend, her arms open for a hug.

"Why the ice cream, though?" Timothy asked, looking at the dessert later on. "Isn't that enough sugar?"

Augusta, after she and Hailey gave each other a gentle squeeze and let go of each other, turned to him. "Because molten chocolate lava cake usually goes with vanilla ice cream." She said. "Oh, and if anyone wants wine, water, or anything else to drink, there's some in the fridge. Wine glasses are in that cabinet over there." She pointed to the cabinet where she stored her plates, bowls, glasses, and wine glasses.

"Oh, yay!" Lucia, a wine drinker, said cheerfully as she ran to the cabinet.

Thirty minutes later, the Google Assistant that sat on Augusta's bookshelf in her library room dinged.

"Hey, Google, stop timer!" Augusta commanded it, making the timer stop. She walked over to the oven, put on the gloves, and opened the oven door, letting the steam pass before slowly taking out the dish. The mac and cheese was steaming and bubbly. "Alright guys." She took off the gloves. "We gotta wait at least fifteen minutes before we dive in, okay? It's really hot."

"Can't...help...it..." Jay said as he gazed at the mac and cheese, "must...eat..."

Augusta laughed. "You silly goose! Let me set another timer." She turned to the Google Assistant device. "Hey Google, set a timer for fifteen minutes."

"Okay." The Google Assistant said. "Fifteen minutes. And that's starting...now."

Augusta smiled. "Thank you." She said before turning to her friends. "Be patient, guys. In the meantime, let's drink and have fun together!"

"Yeah!" The others cheered.

Fifteen minutes later, the timer went off. "Hey, Google, stop timer!" Augusta called.

Once it stopped, Augusta set the table, adding extra chairs as well as plates, forks, knives, spoons, napkins, glasses, and wine glasses. She took an extra pair oven gloves and placed them in the middle of the table before putting on the other oven gloves, grabbing the handle of the baking dish, picked it up, and carried it to the table. Once she set it down, she called,

"Dinner is ready!"

Upon her call, everyone rushed to the dinner table and sat down. Augusta sat down as well, and she and everyone else took turns getting a serving of the mac and cheese. Once everyone was served and glasses were poured, Augusta held up her glass of water.

"To a good mission!" She said.

"To friendship!" Hailey said.

"And to making Sarge proud!" Jay called.

"Hear hear!" Everyone else cheered.

Once they all clinked glasses and put them down, Augusta said, "Now, let's dig in!"

Everyone picked up a forkful of mac and cheese and took bites. Moans of pure delight were heard. Patrick's head was on the table, pounding it with his fist.

"Mmm!" He said. "So cheesy!"

"Delicious as always, girlie!" Hailey said as she took another bite.

"Mmm!" Maria moaned like how Sally Field faked an orgasm in When Harry Met Sally. "So good!" She pounded the table with her fist.

"I'm glad you all like it." Augusta said with a smile as she took another bite. The flavors of the cheeses melded in her mouth, and the vegetables mixed in well with the cheese, as always.

"Can I have some more?" Kevin asked a few minutes later.

"Yeah, go ahead." Augusta said. "There's plenty for everyone. Seconds, thirds, have at it!"

"I should probably save some for Sarge, though." Kevin said as he scooped up more mac and cheese, the stretchiness of the mozzarella cheese coming along with the spoon.

Augusta laughed. "Yeah, you probably should."

A few minutes later, everyone's stomachs were happy and full of good food and drink. Augusta put what was left into two bowls, wrapped them up in plastic wrap, and put them in the fridge so Hank and Tracy, the chief of the Police Department, could eat it tomorrow for lunch if they wanted to. Once she was done, she made herself another glass of ice water and settled on her reclining chair in front of the TV. She grabbed the remote and went onto Amazon Prime. She went to the anime section, and once she saw Pet, she clicked it.

"Everybody ready?" She asked.

"Yes!" Everyone said, holding their glasses of wine, beer, milk, or water.

"I'll pause anytime someone needs to go to the bathroom." Augusta said. "Now, remember, this isn't dubbed, so we have to watch it with subtitles. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Jay said, taking a sip of beer.

"Alrighty, then, here we go." Augusta clicked on the episode.

"Make sure to skip the intro." Hailey pointed out.

"Will do." Augusta said as she nervously sipped her water. She has never watched a psychological anime before.

The episode started with a flashback, then the intro, which Augusta skipped. Then, a young man, presumably the main character, showed up on screen, spraying something with a hose. He was talking to another young man with black hair who was setting up an umbrella. Judging by what the subtitles were saying, the young man he was talking to was named Tsukasa.

"Ooh, he's cute." Lucia said, her eyes focused on the main character.

"Yeah, I guess he..." Augusta trailed off when Tsukasa showed up on screen, smiling at the young man, "is."

Upon seeing that smile, Augusta felt her heart race. After a scene where another man with dreadlocks was washing his face, Tsukasa began talking again. Hearing his voice, which was soft, Augusta felt her face begin to heat up. After a scene the man with dreadlocks was brushing his teeth and looking out the window in curiosity, Tsukasa was looking at the sky, his hand to his forehead, watching as the main character held the hose up to the sky, water spraying out. Augusta squeaked.

A couple minutes later, Tsukasa spoke, the subtitles saying that Kenji, presumably the man with dreadlocks, had incredible hearing. Augusta felt her body stiffen. When Tsukasa was shown looking at the main character, about to go up the stairs, Augusta clenched her fists to her pajamas. Then, he spoke again, the subtitles saying:

"Let's go get changed, Hiroki."

That was the breaking point for Augusta. "BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed as blood rushed out of her nose, unaware that Patrick was holding a tissue to it as he stared at the screen.

"So hot." He said.

The episode went on, and during a scene the main character, Hiroki, threw Tsukasa's phone across the room, everyone laughed, but Lucia giggled upon hearing him giggle. But the laughter got louder when the two started wrestling, with Hiroki throwing the newspaper he was reading on Tsukasa's head and throwing him onto the floor. Marina literally spit out her milk.

Then, Kenji burst into the room. "Save the foreplay until after breakfast!" He said, judging by the subtitles.

"Foreplay?" Kevin asked. "Dude, that was wrestling."

"I wonder who won." Augusta said thoughtfully.

"Let's just say they both got the satisfaction they deserved." Timothy said before jokingly rolling his eyes.

"So they both won." James said.

Lucia nodded. "Yeah, I suppose." She replied.

The episode started to get a little ominous, though, when Kenji began supposedly hallucinating. An eyeball was on the wall, scaring him, and everyone else, whose eyes were glued to the screen.

"Yo, what the heck was that?" Kevin asked.

"Something that makes me want to drink unsee juice." Marina replied.

"Coconut flavor." Augusta added.

Marina turned to her, nodding. "Yeah."

The episode ended, the situation never having gotten resolved, with Hiroki and Tsukasa walking out of Kenji's bar and down the street to a young man with a blonde buzzcut standing by a black car. He appeared before, and according to the subtitles, his name was Satoru. He nodded at them, and Tsukasa waved, almost making Augusta get another nosebleed, but Patrick gave her the tissue that was already stained with her blood from before. She held it to her nose as the outro began to play.

Augusta paused, and then asked, "What do you guys think so far?"

"I wanna see what happened with Kenji!" Hailey bounced up and down in her seat. "I like him so far!"

Augusta nodded, satisfied with the response. "Well, then, who wants to watch another episode?" She asked, already raising her hand.

"Me!" Everyone else said.

"Hang on! Let me get the ice cream first so it can soften up!" Hailey said before getting up and walking to the kitchen. When she came back and sat down, she continued, "Okay! Ready!" She gripped her glass of milk.

Augusta nodded and put on the next episode, skipping the intro, and it began where it left off before the bar scene, with Hiroki and Tsukasa standing over Kenji, smiles on their faces. The smile that Tsukasa had on his face almost made Augusta's nose bleed again. She was glad it didn't, because if it did, she'd lose a lot of blood and have to end up going to the hospital. Kenji was panicking, and when they showed Hiroki and Tsukasa again, Hiroki was angry.

"That's hot." Lucia said.

"Then why isn't your nose bleeding?" Maria asked jokingly.

Lucia shrugged. "I'm good at holding in my composure."

There was a flashback scene, and Augusta and the others kept watching as it went on. Kenji kept panicking, trying to explain what's happening, and that was when Tsukasa waved his hand over his face, a gust of wind supposedly appearing. This confused Augusta. Why the heck was he doing that?

"There's nothing to worry about." Tsukasa said in a soft voice, a smile on his face.

This made Augusta pause, her eyes wide.

"Um..." she said.

"What's wrong, Augusta?" Hailey asked.

"Uh..." Augusta spoke slowly, turning to the others, "when Tsukasa said that, that there's nothing to worry about, did anyone else get pregnant?"

Everyone looked at each other, giggling slightly. Although he and everyone else knew it was a joke, Patrick looked at his stomach. "Um...yup."

"Like, I know he's possibly gay, and I'm a lesbian, but...woof." Augusta bit her lip. "Somehow I'm expecting."

"Yup." Patrick nodded. "I'm a man and I'm expecting triplets."

"I..." Augusta blushed, "I don't know how to explain what I'm feeling, except that my pussy feels like a lake right now, and I need one of you to call a midwife and tell her to bring a mop."

Everyone, including Augusta, laughed, then Hailey got up again, making Augusta pause the episode. In the kitchen, Hailey got out small bowls, spoons, and an ice cream scoop. She scooped out the vanilla ice cream into bowls before opening the fridge and taking out the cupcakes. She opened the case and took out several cupcakes, unwrapping them from their wrappers before putting each one into the bowls. Once she was done, she put the ice cream back in the freezer and the cupcake case back in the fridge. She put one spoon in each bowl and handed them out to the group before sitting down with her own. Augusta unpaused the episode and took a bite of the cupcake. The chocolatey goodness filled her mouth, and some of the fudge in the middle dripped down her chin, but most got onto the ice cream.

"Mmm." She said. "Delicious as always, Hailey."

Happy at this compliment, Hailey giggled. "Thanks, girlie!" She said.

Augusta smiled. "No problem, Hailey." She replied before scooping up some ice cream with her spoon and turning back to the TV, keeping her eyes on the events on the screen.

The rest of the episode was spent with squealing and gasps. When it was over, everyone, who was finished with their desserts, applauded.

"That was fun!" Marina said, jumping up and down in her seat. "I wonder what will happen next."

"That's gonna have to wait until the mission is finished." Augusta said. "But, for now, let's calm our minds with something wholesome. Say...an episode of Bob's Burgers!"

"Hang on!" Hailey said, getting up. "I'm gonna put the dishes away. While I'm up, does anyone else want another drink?"

James looked at his empty beer bottle, shrugged, and held it up. "I'll have another beer." He said.

"Me too." Timothy said, also holding up his empty beer bottle.

"Can I have some more wine, please?" Lucy said as held up her empty wine glass.

"That dessert was so good and chocolatey, I'm gonna need some more milk." Marina said as she held up her empty milk glass. "If you don't mind, that is."

"Of course not." Hailey said with a smile as she went around the room, taking everyone's bowls, empty bottles, empty wine glasses, and empty glasses.

The Bob's Burgers episode everyone watched together was from Season 1, and it was the 6th episode. It was titled, "Sheesh! Cab, Bob?" and it followed Bob Belcher getting a second job as a cab driver to make Tina's 13th birthday party special. Augusta had been watching Bob's Burgers for a year now, ever since she started out at the Intelligence Unit. It was just to relax after a long day, but she ended up loving the show, finding herself relate to the characters, her favorite one being Linda. The episode made everyone laugh and warmed their hearts, making the evening end on a funny, but quiet note.

When it was time for bed, the decisions on sleeping arrangements were pretty easy. Augusta's house was big, but it had three bedrooms. Patrick and Marina chose to sleep on the two couches in the living room, Kevin chose to sleep on the couch in the library room, James, Timothy, and Lucia chose to sleep in one of the guest rooms, Carlos and Jay chose to sleep in the second guest room, while Augusta and Hailey slept in her room, in the same bed, which they have done before at sleepovers when they were little.

"Night, girlie." Hailey said in the darkness of the room.

"Night, Hailey." Augusta said.

Hailey quickly fell asleep, and Augusta fell asleep soon after, knowing that she and the others had to get up early for one of the most important missions of their police careers.

Chapter Text

The next morning, everyone got up at 6:00 AM. Augusta made everyone toast, eggs, and bacon for breakfast and gave them coffee, tea, chai, milk, or water to drink. Once breakfast was done and pills, if any, were taken, everyone cleaned up, brushed their teeth, and got dressed. As they walked out the door to work, some carrying paper to-go cups of coffee, Augusta, who was holding the two leftover bowls mac and cheese from last night, felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned, and Hailey smiled at her.

"I'll be waiting for you at the bus stop, okay?" She asked.

Augusta nodded. "I'll be there." She said gently.

Augusta and Hailey hugged before letting each other go and walking to their cars, getting in and driving to their separate destinations.

Once Augusta and her fellow police officers arrived at the police department building, they parked their cars in the parking lot and got out of their cars. They signed in with their keycards and walked into the station. However, upon walking in, Augusta heard a familiar voice, one that demanded respect.

"Augusta! Hey! Augusta!"

Augusta turned, seeing that Tracy Pratt, the head of the Police Department, was standing at the reception desk, where she works until lunch, beckoning her over. Maria turned to look at her, her eyes wide.

"Ooh." She said, knowing that something serious was going on if Tracy wants to talk to someone.

"You go ahead, I'll be fine." Augusta patted Maria's shoulder before walking over to Tracy and saluting. "At your service, ma'am."

"At ease." Tracy, who was in the military, said, making Augusta put her hand down. "You're not in any trouble, sweetie. I'm just gonna get you ready for your mission. So follow me into my office."

Tracy walked around the reception desk and Augusta followed her into her office. Once inside, Tracy closed the door and Augusta walked to the desk and put her coffee cup and the two bowls of leftover mac and cheese down. When Tracy walked over, she looked at them, then back at Augusta.

"It's my famous mac and cheese." She said. "Leftovers from last night. I figured you and Hank might want to try some."

"Thank you." Tracy said as she opened a desk drawer and pulled out a light blue T-shirt and denim blue jeans before closing it. "I've heard that it's really good. Now, these are gonna be your civilian clothes. I'll leave the room so you can put them on. Let me know when you're done."

Tracy left the room, leaving Augusta to put on the light blue T-shirt and denim blue jeans, which were very comfortable. "Okay, I'm done!"

Tracy walked into the room and nodded upon seeing Augusta. "Good. It fits. Please sit down." She gestured for Augusta to sit down at her desk, which she did. She then walked over, opened a desk drawer, and pulled out a brush before closing it. "Now, look in the mirror, hon."

Augusta did so, looking into the small mirror on Tracy's desk, her grey eyes staring back at her. And that was when Tracy began brushing her long black hair rather roughly, the first brush making Augusta jump in pain.

"Ow!" She said. She turned to Tracy. "What the hell was that?"

"You have tangles in your hair." Tracy said. "I gotta get them out before I put the net on."

"Well, you could've least given me some warning." Augusta turned back to the mirror.

"Here's your warning. It's gonna hurt more." Tracy said firmly before continuing to brush Augusta's hair.

Eventually, Tracy pulled out a detangler spray, which helped, but still didn't make the brushing any less painful. Once brushing was done, Augusta was turned in the chair and Tracy pulled out a hair net, some makeup, and nail care supplies. She gently gathered Augusta's hair and put it into the hair net, which was gently placed on her head. She then took out a bottle of pale foundation, opened the cap, and squirted a small amount on her fingers. She gently dotted it on Augusta's forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin, applying more if needed. She then took out a makeup sponge.

"Close your eyes, hon." She instructed.

Augusta closed her eyes, her sense of touch making her feel the gentleness of the sponge more greatly. It had a clean scent, which was nice.

"Okay, hon, open your eyes." Tracy said. When Augusta did, she saw that Tracy was holding up three eyeshadow pallets, one colored taupe, one colored red, and the other colored a pale pink. "Which one do you like? Just because you're going undercover doesn't mean you have to look pretty."

"Um..." Augusta gazed at the options before pointing at the taupe one, "this one. I want them to know that I mean business."

Tracy nodded in approval as she took out a makeup brush. "I agree. It shows that you're a force to be reckoned with."

Augusta closed her eyes, allowing Tracy to put on the eyeshadow, while also putting on eyeliner and mascara. When she was finished, Augusta opened her eyes and saw three blush pallets. One was pale pink, the other deep red, and the other a deep pink.

"Which one do you like?" Tracy asked again.

"Um...hmm...let's see..." Augusta gazed at the choices before selecting the pale pink one, "this one. I want to let the victims know that they can trust me."

"Good choice." Tracy said as she took out another makeup brush.

Tracy carefully dusted the brush with the color before gently brushing it onto Augusta's cheeks. When she was finished, she once again held out three makeup products, this time, it was lipstick. One was red, one was purple, and one was brown.

"Which one do you like?" Tracy asked.

"Okay, um..." Augusta gazed at the choices carefully before selecting the red one. "This one. I want them to know not to mess with me."

Tracy nodded. "I agree completely, sweetie. Ever since you came here, you've defied expectations. You're strong and capable of anything."

Augusta rolled her eyes playfully. "Thank Hank for that. He says I remind him of his daughter."

"And you do." Tracy said. "I've met her. She's strong, brave, and capable, just like you."

"What's her name?" Augusta asked.

"Francesca." Tracy answered. "I'll introduce you someday. You and her will be good friends. I just know it."

Augusta nodded. "Maybe we will."

"Okay, close your mouth." Tracy instructed. "And hold very still."

Augusta closed her eyes as she felt the smooth lipstick being applied on her lips. Once Tracy was done, she opened her eyes.

"Now press your lips together, like so..." Tracy instructed, pressing her lips together. Augusta copied her. "Good." She then took off Augusta's shoes and grabbed the nail clippers and nail filers. She took her time, clipping and filing each nail on her fingers and toes. Once she finished, she held out three nail polish colors: one was bright red, one was pink, and the other was purple. "Which one do you like?"

"Um...hm...let's see..." Augusta said thoughtfully before pointing to the red one. "This one. It's attractive and says that I'm a boss."

Tracy nodded. "Absolutely you are." She said before painting Augusta's fingernails and wiping off excess polish with a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover. She turned her in her chair and put two nail driers on top of her hands before painting Augusta's toenails. Once the nail driers were done on Augusta's fingernails, Tracy took the nail driers and put them over Augusta's toenails. Once they were done, she put them on the desk, turned the seat towards her, walked over to the door, and opened it. "Okay, Hank, bring it in!"

Hank walked in, the earbud from yesterday in his hand. "Hold still." He instructed. He knelt down beside Augusta and gently inserted the earbud into her left ear. "How does it feel?"

"It feels like wearing nothing." Augusta replied.

"Let's take it for a test run." Hank held up his phone and spoke into it. "Augusta, can you hear me?"

Even though he was standing right in front of her, his voice could be heard loud and clear in Augusta's ear. She smiled, nodding. "Yes, sir, I can hear you."

"Great." Hank said, nodding. "Now, try talking to me. Press the button on the lower part of the earbud and hold it."

Augusta's fingers quickly found the button and pressed it. "Can you hear me, sir?"

Even though she was sitting right in front of him, Hank could hear her through his phone. He smiled slightly, a rare sight. "Yes, Augusta. I can hear you."

"Yes!" Augusta pumped her fist in the air.

"Now, for the finishing touch." Tracy said. She walked over to one of the cabinets and pulled out a long curly dark brown wig. "I figured that this will suit you perfectly, sweetie. Now, hold still." Augusta closed her eyes, allowing Tracy to gently put the wig on her head. "There. Perfect." Augusta opened her eyes, and Tracy smiled, gesturing to the mirror. "Go on, take a look."

Augusta turned in her seat and gasped at her reflection. Was it even her anymore? She didn't know. Her skin was pale, her lips red, and the eyeliner gave her eyes a smoky effect, which went nicely with the taupe-colored eyeshadow. Yet, the pale pink blush on her cheeks reflected innocence, and the way the wig perfectly framed her face. Isabella would not recognize her. Not at all.

"Well?" Tracy asked. "What do you think?"

"I love it!" Augusta said, smiling. "I look like an entirely new person!"

"I'm glad you find it perfect." Hank said, nodding.

"Your undercover name is Alyssa Dilano." Tracy instructed firmly.

Hank turned to her, his expression mixed with disbelief and amusement. "Really?" He asked.

Tracy looked at him and shrugged. "What?" She asked before turning back to Augusta. "Remember it. Don't forget. Say it with me: Alyssa Dilano."

"Alyssa Dilano." Augusta said, the name already starting to sound natural. She nodded. "Got it."

Tracy nodded. "Good. Now, Hank told me that your friend Hailey is helping us out." She pulled a walkie-talkie out of her pocket. "Give this to her. It'll allow her to communicate with you through the earpiece."

Augusta nodded before taking the walkie-talkie. "Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome." Hank said with a nod.

"Alright, I think you're ready." Tracy said, clapping her hands. She turned to Hank. "Do you think she's ready, Hank?"

Hank nodded. "Yes, I do." He and Tracy pulled Augusta up. "Alright, Augusta, the bus to Sapphire Springs Ranch leaves in thirty minutes. The bus stop is twenty minutes away. Go now. The hucows and hubulls are counting on you."

Augusta nodded and grabbed her coffee cup. "Yes, sir."

"One more thing." Tracy said.

Suddenly, they both pulled Augusta into a hug. Surprised but glad to see their gentle sides, Augusta hugged them back.

"Don't die out there." Hank said, his voice almost a whisper.

"I won't." Augusta said reassuringly. "I promise." The three let each other go, and just as Augusta was about to walk through the door, she turned to her superiors with a grin. "Enjoy the mac and cheese. Enjoy it cold or add a tablespoon of milk and microwave it for a minute while stirring occasionally!"

Tracy nodded. "We will. Now, go Augusta. And good luck."

Hank nodded as well. "Good luck."

Augusta smiled. "Goodbye, guys."

When she walked out the door of Tracy's office, she saw that her fellow officers from Intelligence were there, cheering.

"Wait, Augusta!" Jay said, walking up to her. "Before you go..." he pulled two small bottles of something out of his pocket, one labeled "Food" and the other one labeled "Drinks," "these are flavorings. The food and drinks they give the employees taste pretty nasty, so I've heard. Just put a drop of one in each dish, and drop of the another one in the glass, wait one minute, and your food will be absolutely flavorful!"

Augusta took the bottle and put it in her pocket. "Thanks, Jay." She said before pulling him into a hug.

"You're welcome, Augusta." Jay replied, patting her back before the two let each other go. Once they did, he and the others resumed their cheering. 

"Good luck, Augusta!"

"Go get them!"

"Save the hucows and hubulls!"

"Don't let us down!"

"We believe in you!"

"You can do it!"

Smiling at their cheering, she gave them a quick group hug before letting them go. She blew them a kiss before signing out with her keycard, walking out the door to the parking lot. Then, she got in her car and drove off to the bus stop.

Once she arrived, Hailey was there, sitting at the bench, just mindlessly scrolling through her phone. Augusta parked her car, cut the engine, and got out, her coffee cup in one hand and the walkie-talkie in the other. She began walking over to Hailey.

"Hey, girlie!" She greeted.

Hailey turned to her. "Miss, have I seen you before?" She asked. "I don't think we've..." suddenly, her eyes widened, as if she knew who it was. "Holy shit! Is that you, Augusta?"

Augusta giggled. "Yup." She twirled. "How do I look?"

"Amazing!" Hailey replied. "What's your undercover name?"

"Alyssa Dilano." Augusta replied. "Oh, and Hank told me to give you this." She held up the walkie-talkie. "They provided me with an earbud that will protect me from Sapphire Spring Ranch's mind manipulation techniques. It also has a camera and microphone that they can talk to me through, and I can talk to them. This walkie-talkie simply allows you to talk to me as well. Here."

Hailey took the walkie-talkie and held it carefully, as if it was some sort of prized ancient artifact. "Ooh..." she cooed, "I feel like a real police officer now!"

Suddenly, the bus slowly drove up. It stopped, then opened it's doors, letting people out. Hailey turned to Augusta and held out her hand, which Augusta gladly took. They stepped onto the bus and found an empty seat in the back, which they gladly took. Once they were on, the bus's doors closed and it drove forward to Sapphire Springs Ranch and Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Eatery.

"So what exactly am I supposed to do?" Hailey asked.

"You just said that you felt like a real police officer!" Augusta said with a laugh. "Do you have your binoculars?" When Hailey nodded and patted her jean pocket, she continued. "You just have to watch me through them and let me know if you see anything."

"But I can't have my eyes on you at all times." Hailey said. "So what do I do then?"

"Leave it to the police." Augusta patted Hailey's shoulder. "They've got this. We've got this."

Hailey snuggled up to Augusta, something she always did when they were growing up together. "I hope so."

Augusta put an arm around Hailey and kissed her head, something she would do sometimes to show her love and appreciation for her best friend in the whole entire world. "It's gonna be okay."

An hour later, the bus stopped in front of Sapphire Springs Ranch.

"Here we are." Augusta said. She turned to Hailey, this time offering her hand. "You ready?"

Hailey nodded, taking her childhood best friend's hand. "Yes." She said as they both stood up. "Let's do this."

The two women got off the bus, putting their now empty coffee cups in the trash can. Once they did so, they turned to each other, and Hailey dug into her coat pocket and took out a white nightgown, offering it to Augusta.

"This will be your sleepwear while you're here." She said. "It used to be mine, but it doesn't fit me anymore. And this way, I'll be there for you without being there."

Augusta felt her heart swell up. All of her life, Hailey had been there for her, defending her against Isabella's words and always being a shoulder to cry on. They lived across from each other on the same street, and when school was over for the day, they would spend the rest of the afternoon either playing, watching anime, or talking. Sometimes Augusta wished that Hailey was her sister and not Isabella, but it's like the old saying goes: you get what you get and you don't get upset.

"Thank you, girlie." Augusta said, gently taking the nightgown.

"No problem, Augusta." Hailey replied.

The two women then hugged, their shared warmth giving encouragement to both.

"Good luck." Augusta said softly.

"You too." Hailey said in a whisper.

The two women let go of each other and Augusta watched as Hailey walked into the building with a board of the Beatles in Yellow Submarine on the roof, the words Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Eatery written in white. Beside the building was a long silver pole with a sign that had the letters SPLHCBE, also written in white, and below it, words in a a pink box said in yellow:

SGT.PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND EATERY

WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THE FOOD!

Hanging from it was a sign that read:

NOW HIRING!

HEAD INSIDE OR GO TO WWW.SGTPEPPERSLONELYHEARTSCLUBBANDEATERY.COM FOR DETAILS!

WE CAN'T WAIT TO WORK WITH YOU!

Suddenly, the sound of high heels were heard. Augusta turned, and that was when she saw her.

Isabella.

Her older sister.

She didn't look different, especially at the age of forty, but the only noticeable differences were her firm expression and her long black hair having grey streaks. She was tall, and she was wearing an outfit similar to a farmer, but it was all, except her straw hat, colored beige. And she was wearing high heels?

Do farmers wear high heels?

Probably, if they wanted to.

And that was when she saw her.

Besides Isabella was a young woman no younger than Augusta. She had pale skin, long vibrant red hair, and bright green eyes, which were blank. She was wearing a tight corset-like top that could barely contain her large breasts, which were an F-Cup at most, a short, ruffled skirt, thigh-high stockings with golden garters, brown shoes, and a collar around her neck.

She was beautiful, but her blank eyes...she must've been put under the mind manipulation too. She had to save her, somehow.

Nevertheless, Augusta felt the overwhelming urge to hug Isabella, tell her how much she missed her and also scold her for taking advantage of someone so young, but then she remembered that she was undercover. She had to play it cool.

She remembered the movies. She can do this.

"Welcome to Sapphire Springs Ranch!" Isabelle said upon stopping in front of Augusta, the young woman by her side, stopping when she stopped. She held out her hand. "I'm the owner, Isabella Steel, and this here is my assistant, Liliana."

Augusta shook her hand, the touch familiar, yet alien. So is what the obsession of human experimentation led her down. Once they let go of each other's hands, Augusta turned to look at Liliana, who, like Isabella, had her hand out for a handshake. She wanted to shake her hand, but she was hesitant. She looked at Isabella.

"Go ahead." Isabella said. "It's okay."

Slightly relieved, Augusta took Liliana's hand and gently shook it. "Nice to meet you both." She said. "I'm Alyssa Dilano. I saw a flyer about this job, and it sounded perfect for me."

"Alyssa Dilano?" Isabella asked upon Augusta and Liliana letting go of each other's hands. "That's your name?"

Augusta scoffed. If she was gonna go undercover, she would at least make up a personality. "Uh, yeah. You got a problem with that?"

Isabella quickly shook her head. "No, no problem." She said. She turned around, gesturing for Augusta and Liliana to follow. "I'm glad you came. Come. Follow us and let's get started."

Augusta nodded and followed Isabella and Liliana into the barn, listening closely and nodding as the former was giving an explanation to how things work around here.

"You'll be assigned to the barn for now, working from seven to eight. You get bathroom breaks, sick days when needed, holidays, and weekends off. All employees are given bottles of water that can be refilled at the drinking fountain if needed. We need help with the animals, and there's always something to do. You'll sleep and eat in a room with the other girls. It's a small community, but everyone pulls their weight. But if you have any issues, you come to me. Understood?"

Even her voice was firm. But those words, telling her that if she has any issues, she can come to her...that was something the old Isabella would say. The one that would help her family take care of their baby daughter. It all changed when she turned twenty-eight and became obsessed with human experimentation, scaring the then ten-year-old Augusta.

Twelve years ago...

"But don't you see, sis?" Isabella asked one day while she was visiting, sitting beside her younger sister, who was watching Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters. "The world could never run out of milk! We need milk for various reasons, including health!"

"Izzie, please, stop." Augusta begged, holding her Yu-Gi-Oh Yugi Muto plush to her chest. "You're scaring me."

"You're scared because you don't see the truth!" Isabella claimed. "When you get older and see what I mean, you'll thank me. I just know it!"

"Mommy!" Augusta cried.

Isabella groaned. "Damn it!"

Their mother walked into the room. "What's wrong, sweetie?" 

"Izzie's scaring me." Augusta said. "She's talking about making a girl's chest bigger and getting milk from it. She says it could benefit us."

Their mother turned to Isabella. "Isabella, really?" She asked. "First on the phone, then texting, now this?"

"She has to know, Mom!" Isabella insisted. "Young minds must know the truth."

"Leave your sister out of it." Their mother ordered.

Isabella rolled her eyes in frustration. "Fine." She turned to walk away, but then stopped to look at Augusta. "You'll thank me." She said again, her voice more firm.

"Isabella!" Their mother scolded.

"Alright, alright! I'm going! Jeez!" Isabella groaned, rolling her eyes and walking away.

Their mother sat on the couch next to her youngest child, who clung to her. "Mommy," she said, "why is Izzie like this? She used to be fun, now she's scary."

Their mother kissed her daughter's head. "She's just going through a phase, sweetie. You're like it now with Yu-Gi-Oh and your crush on Yami Yugi.

"But this is not like that." Augusta said, blushing a little when her mother mentioned her anime crush. "This is worse."

Their mother stroked her daughter's hair reassuringly. "I'll talk to her about it, okay, honey? Now, pause this episode and wash up for dinner. It's almost done. It's your favorite: cheeseburgers, hot dogs, grilled bologna, kielbasa, French fries, potato salad, and corn on the cob."

Augusta paused the episode and jumped up. "Okay." She said before hugging her mother, who gladly hugged her back.

"I love you, sweetie." She said.

"I love you too, Mommy." Augusta replied.

Present day...

"Hey!" Isabella snapped her fingers in front of Augusta's face, making the latter snap out of her thoughts. "Earth to Alyssa! You in there?"

Augusta took a moment to compose herself before responding. "Um...y-yes! Understood!"

Twelve years.

She hasn't seen Isabella in twelve years.

And look how much has changed.

For the worse, that is.

So much worse.

Isabella smiled, though it wasn't kind. "Good." She said. "Now, come along. Let's get you in your uniform."

Augusta nodded and followed Isabella and Liliana inside the barn.

Meanwhile, in Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Eatery, Hailey had just walked in, the smell of burgers and fried food filling her senses. Suddenly, a young woman walked up to her, although her walk was more like a skip.

"Hello!" She said, holding out her hand. "I'm Sara Abbott, the grill cook! You must be Hailey, the new cashier."

Hailey smiled and shook Sara's hand. "Nice to meet you." She said before the two women let go of each others' hands. "I understand that your father opened this restaurant, based on what I read online?"

Sara nodded. "Yup! He wanted to open his own restaurant and was inspired by my mother's love for the Beatles, so he made a fast-food restaurant so kids can come and enjoy too. It opened on their first wedding anniversary. Isn't that sweet?"

Hailey nodded. "Yes, very sweet. So when do I start?"

Sara chuckled. "Right now, of course!" She held up an apron and visor, both imprinted with the words Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Eatery and a picture of a Blue Meanie from the Yellow Submarine movie. "Just put these on and get behind the cash register."

"Oh, thanks." Hailey said as she took the uniform.

"Yeah, sure." Sara said with a grin.

Hailey began putting on the apron, but, like most people, struggled with tying it. "Um, can you help me with this, Sara?"

"Oh, sure." Sara said. "Turn around."

Hailey turned and let Sara tie the apron around her waist. Once she was done, Hailey put on the visor and turned to Sara. "How do I look?" She asked.

Sara gave a thumbs-up. "Great!" She says before clapping her hands. "Alright! Let's get to work!" She turned and ran to the kitchen. "It's the breakfast shift!"

Hailey nodded and went behind the counter as Sara went back to the kitchen. Hailey peered out the window, staring at Sapphire Springs Ranch. With a glare, she pulled out her binoculars and looked through them, seeing movement inside. She put the binoculars back in her pocket, still glaring at it. Suddenly, footsteps were heard, making her jump. She turned, seeing a woman with dirty blonde hair, pale skin, and blue eyes wearing a black tank top and blue demin jeans carrying a dark blue purse walk up to the counter. Her lips were red and were curved into a friendly smile. She stopped at the counter, her smile never fading. For some reason, she looked familiar to Hailey.

"Hi, I'm ready to order." She said. Even her voice sounded familiar.

"Oh, um..." Hailey smiled, "what can I get for you today?"

Sara walked over and, upon seeing the woman, gasped. "Oh, hey! It's Sarah Wiedenheft!" She said. She turned to Hailey, seeing her confusion. "Oh, um, she voices Power in Chainsaw Man."

"Ah, that's why she looked and sounded so familiar." Hailey said.

"That's right." Sarah said. "Hi. Let me sign autographs for you guys." She opened her purse and dug out a pen and notepad. She ripped off two pieces of paper of the notepad and signed her name on each, adding a heart. She then gave them to Hailey and Sara before putting them back in her purse.

"So what would you like to order today, Miss Sarah?" Hailey asked.

"Oh...um..." Sarah looked at the menu that hung on the wall, "can I please order the All Together Now Breakfast Meal, but with sausages instead of bacon, poached eggs, and chocolate chip pancakes? And hot coffee with three tablespoons of milk and two teaspoons of sugar, please."

"Of course." Hailey said as she put in the numbers. "One All Together Now Breakfast Meal...sausages, poached eggs...hot coffee...three tablespoons of milk...two teaspoons of sugar...that'll be $10.45."

"Here." Sarah dug into her purse and took out an American Express card, which she put into the scanner. She selected the options, signed her name with the stylus, and removed her card. She smiled at Hailey. "Keep the change."

"Oh, thanks. And hey, thanks for the autographs. Never met a celebrity before."

Sarah blew her a kiss and winked. "Well, now you have. And you're welcome!" She said before walking to a table.

"One All Together Now Breakfast Meal coming right up!" Sara said as she ran back to the kitchen.

"You go, girl!" Hailey cheered before looking at the door with a smile. This wasn't a bad first day so far, especially at a fast food restaurant. But she had to do this. For the hucows. For the hubulls. For her best friend. For the whole wide world.

Meanwhile, inside the barn, Isabella and Liliana had led Augusta to a changing room. Inside the dressing room, lying on a chair was Augusta's new uniform, neatly folded. She took off her civilian clothes and laid them on the chair. She then put on the uniform it and looked in the mirror. The uniform was white with black accents around the sleeve and collar, blue pants, a headband with cow horns, and a collar with a small bell around her neck. She moved a bit, examining the uniform's fit on her body, and the bell seemed to ring with her movements.

And that was when she heard it.

It wasn't the bell she heard. But rather, it was a whooshing sound mixed with the sound of a loud heartbeat. It made her jump. She knew right away that this was the sound Hank was talking about, but it was still loud and unexpected, so she let out a little yelp.

"Ah!" She said.

"Alyssa?" Isabella knocked on the door. "You okay in there?"

"Huh?" Augusta looked at the door, then back at her reflection. "Oh! Yes, sis-I mean, miss, I'm fine!"

Phew, that was close, she thought.

"Okay, well, are you done?" Isabella asked.

Augusta nodded. "Yes."

"Okay, well, come on out. We've got work to do."

"Yes, ma'am! Um, where do I put my clothes?"

"Leave them in there for now. Someone will put them in your room."

"Understood, ma'am!"

Augusta opened the door and stepped out. Liliana stared up at her, her blank eyes half-lidded, as if she was studying her while also being half-asleep. Isabella tilted her head, motioning her to follow, which Augusta did. As Augusta followed Isabella and Liliana through the barn she sniffed the air, smelling the hay, but she also smelled a sweet scent, which made her feel uneasy. With each step, the bell around her neck jingled, or so it seemed to, because whenever it rang, the whooshing sound with a heartbeat was heard instead, allowing her to get used to it. She also looked around, seeing the hucows and hubulls, blank expressions on their faces as they ate, drank, laid, or stood there, their tails swishing. Her heart ached for them and burned with a fiery anger at the caretakers, who fed and praised them, making the hucows and hubulls smile blankly. They weren't even human anymore. She had to help them.

"Don't stare." Isabella said firmly. "You're working here, not watching."

Augusta blushed in embarrassment. "Ah, um...sorry, ma'am."

Isabella shook her head. "No matter. You'll get used to it." Suddenly, they stopped at a stall labeled Stall 10. "This is where you'll be working." She said. "Meet Bella."

Inside the stall was a woman with a round body, toned muscles, pale skin, and short brown hair. Her blue eyes were large and expressive, but they were blank like the rest of the hucows and hubulls. On top of her head were two horns, and her ears were shaped like a cow's. Her breasts were extremely large, an H-Cup at most, and her nose was rounder like a cow. Her outfit was rather skimpy, the thin strapped bra, G-string panties, and thigh-high stockings having cow patterns, and she was also wearing white gloves and a bell around her neck. The sight made Augusta internally cringe. Bella's tail swished happily behind her, signaling that she was happy to meet her new caretaker.

"Bella has been working here for a month." Isabella explained. "Her specialty is fitness. You'll help her with eating, drinking, cleaning, grooming, exercising, the works." She turned to look at Augusta. "But don't think that this means we won't go easy on you. This place demands perfection. You'll have eyes on you at all times, especially as a new employee. Got it?"

Augusta nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Isabella nodded and gave her a clipboard. "This is Bella's schedule." She said. "Don't stand around. Bella is waiting." She turned to Liliana with a friendly, but eerie smile. "Come along, my dear."

Liliana nodded obediently, as if she was under some sort of spell. "Moo." She said.

Isabella and Liliana walked away, and once they were gone, Augusta was finally allowed to cringe in peace. This place was creepy.

Okay, play it cool, she told herself. You got this, you big, beautiful woman, you.

Augusta looked at the schedule on the clipboard. First up was grooming. Now that she could do.

She opened the stall door and went inside, closing the door behind her. In there beside Bella and hay are two barrels, one with a brush and one with two bowls, presumably one for eating and one for drinking. There was also a water bottle. Augusta picked up the brush and began brushing Bella's hair and fur. Bella's tail wagged, enjoying the attention. As Augusta did her duties, she looked down at the schedule, and that was when she saw something.

2nd Place-Hucow Competition: Fitness Category.

"You competed?" Augusta asked. Though she didn't respond, Bella swished her tail around, answering the question.

Augusta sighed as she continued brushing Bella's hair and fur, feeling bad for her every second. First, she gets brainwashed to be a cow, and then she's forced to compete? She was angry, but she didn't show it. Instead, she lowered her voice to almost a whisper, bending over to Bella's eye level, looking into her eyes.

"You know, you don't have to hide it." She said. "You don't have to moo. I know you still have some humanity inside you, the real Bella that is fighting to get out. So please, if there's any sign that you-the real you-is in there, don't be afraid to show it, okay?"

Bella looked at her, her blank eyes showing confusion. Augusta sighed. "Suit yourself." She said as she finished brushing Bella's hair and fur.

She then turned around and put the brush down. But just as she did, she heard a voice from behind her.

"Help...me."

The sound made Augusta's eyes widen and straighten up her body. She turned to Bella, who was now looking at her with worried eyes, her blue eyes now showing some hints of color.

Augusta bent down to Bella's eye level, curious. "Was that you?" She asked gently.

"Yes." Bella's voice sounded strained, as if she was in tremendous pain. "Help...me."

"What's wrong?" Augusta asked. "Are you hurt?"

Bella nodded. "It hurts...to walk." she croaked out, "My...chest...it's...too...big. Please...help...me. I...can't...stop...mooing...MOO!"

"Hey, hey, it's okay." Augusta said reassuringly, gently stroking Bella's hair. "I'm here to help, but what I'm about to tell you, you have to keep secret, okay? No one must know, not even Isabella. Okay?" When Bella nodded, Augusta breathed a sigh of relief. "Good." She looked around to make sure no one was listening, then she lowered her voice to a whisper. "My name isn't Alyssa Dilano. I'm an undercover police officer. My real name is Augusta Steel, and I'm Isabella's little sister." When Bella's eyes widened, Augusta shook her head. "No no no, I'm not like her. Not at all. I'm here to save you. But I gotta get the ones who are deep under the mental conditioning first, okay? Then I'll be able to save you, okay?"

Bella nodded. "Thank...you...MOO!"

"You're welcome. And you have to call me Alyssa, not Augusta, but you can call me that when no one's looking, okay?" When Bella nodded, she continued. "Good. Now, there are other people who are helping us. They're my friends. You can trust us, okay? Just keep fighting for now, but keep up the facade. Can you do that for me?"

Bella nodded. "I...can...try. But...please...hurry."

Augusta nodded before straightening up her body. "I'll try."

Suddenly, a loud bell resonated throughout the barn.

"Moo!" Bella said.

Augusta checked her watch, which was digital, the numbers reading 12:00 PM. She nodded and looked through the clipboard. According to it, 12:00 meant that it was mealtime. It also said that Bella had a special diet food to ensure her body was well enough for fitness, and it included a mixture of vegetables, lean meats, and a nutrient-rich supplement that was also in the water she drank that was meant to enhance her strength, which Augusta assumed was probably steroids. It also said that she had to wear a special mask to make sure that she didn't gag or overeat.

"Okay, Bella. It's lunchtime." Augusta said before bending down and gently patting her head. "My friends and I are gonna do whatever I can to get you and the others out of here, okay? You just have to be strong."

Bella nodded. "Moo!" She said.

Augusta nodded before opening the stall door, walking out, and closing it. She walked over to a feeding area and found two opened boxes, one labeled "Bella's Food" and one labeled "Bella's Water." She dug into both and picked up a serving and a container, as well as the mask Bella was meant to wear. She walked out and over to Bella's stall, where she opened the door, walked in, and closed it.

"Hold still." She gently said to Bella, who nodded.

Augusta put the mask on Bella with ease, setting the straps over her head, and then picked up the two bowls, putting the serving of food in one bowl and some water in the other. She set both bowls in front of Bella, who began to eat. Looking over the schedule, she saw that Bella had to be fed slowly and patiently, as well as remain calm during the process. So Augusta sat on the barrel where the food bowls were, watching Bella eat.

Suddenly, a familiar voice was heard.

"Augusta! This is Hank! Do you read me?"

It was coming from the earbud. Startled yet reassured by the sound of Hank's voice, Augusta pressed the button. "Yes, Hank, I'm here." She said.

"Good. Have they put the bell on you?"

"Yes, they did."

"And how do you feel?"

"Fine, actually. I don't hear it at all when it rings, just the sound from the earbud."

"Good. That means the sound is working. And hey, thanks for the mac and cheese. It's really good. Tracy liked it too."

Augusta smiled, glad that her superiors liked her cooking. "I'm so glad you and Tracy liked it, Hank. I'll make sure to save some for you guys in the future when I make it again."

"We hope you do." Hank's voice suddenly became serious. "But enough talking. Now, are you working with a hucow or a hubull?"

"A hucow. Her name is Bella. She came in second place at a hucow competition for fitness. You wanna know something weird, though?"

"What's that?"

"She..." Augusta gulped, "talked to me, sir. It was horrible."

"Talked? She didn't just moo?"

"No, sir."

"Well, what did she say?"

"She begged me to help her. She said that everything hurts, even her chest. She said that she can't stop mooing."

"What did you say?"

"I told her that you and I were gonna help her and told her my real name, and to keep it secret, but we have to get the hucows and hubulls who are deep in their brainwashed states first. That was the plan, right?"

"Yes. Did you see Isabella?"

"Yeah. She first came out to greet me, and she had a woman with her. Her name was Liliana. Isabella said she was her personal hucow, whatever that means."

"Sometimes hucows and hubulls are chosen to serve rich families. Liliana must've been one of them. Did her eyes look blank?"

"Yeah, and she was just...staring at me. It was creepy! This place is freaking me the fuck out, Hank. How long until Officer Harrison and Agents Bailey and Lambert and Director Cameron get here with the ambulance?"

"They'll be there at midnight, which is when Patrick's gonna wake you up and you'll get started on your first mission. For now, though, keep up the disguise. I'll talk to Hailey and have her keep an eye on you. How far apart are the buildings?"

"Um..." Augusta tried to remember when she arrived. "Not that far. Maybe three feet?"

"Good. Hailey's binoculars can see that far. I'm gonna message her. The others are working to find out the history of this place and how the brainwashing works. Maria's currently in the bathroom. When she gets back, she's gonna stay on the line and help you. When you first hear her voice, respond, okay?"

"Alright, sir."

"Good. Officer Hank Varner, over and out."

Augusta lowered her voice. "Officer Augusta Steel, over and out."

She released the button and sighed before gazing at Bella, who was still eating, with worry. She stood up and began patting her head, leaning close to her. "I'll get you out of here." She whispered gently. "Everything's going to be okay. I promise."

Meanwhile, back at Sgt.Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Eatery, it was time for the lunch rush. Hailey was looking at Sapphire Springs Ranch through her binoculars. She could see a blurred humanoid shape with curly hair. It seemed to be Augusta, and she was putting something on someone, be it a hucow or a hubull, she didn't know. But she seemed to be fine.

"Uh, excuse me?" A rude voice asked, making Hailey put down her binoculars and look at the source. It was a man with long brown hair that fell past his shoulders, pale skin, a beard, and blue eyes that seemed to be red. He wore a neon pink shirt, blue denim jeans, white socks, and white sneakers. "Yeah, hi, little miss stalker? I'd like to order the Got To Get You Into My Life burger. Last time I ordered it here, they forgot to add the bits of weed in the meat that makes you high. Don't forget the weed."

Hailey looked at him with confused eyes. "Is that a thing we have?" She asked.

The man nodded. "Yes. I order it all the time." He shivered. "I'm addicted." 

"You want fries with that?" She asked. "Curly fries, tater tots, hash browns, mozzarella sticks, spicy mozzarella sticks, chicken fries, spicy chicken fries, truffle fries, Ringo's Onion Rings, or just regular fries?"

"Yeah, medium regular fries with a large Coke." The man continued.

"Okay, one Got To Get You Into My Life burger with medium regular fries and a large coke." Hailey put in the numbers in the cash register.

"Heard you loud and clear!" Sara said, peeking from the kitchen.

"$20.57 cents, sir." Hailey said, her words making the man nod and pull out a credit card.

A few minutes later, Hailey put the food in a bag and gave the man his food. The man nodded and said a "thank you" before walking away.

"Have a good day!" She called as the man walked out of the restaurant.

"Yeah, you too." The man replied as the doors closed behind him.

Hailey smiled at the happy customer, then suddenly, a staticky voice rang out.

"Hailey Underwood! This is Officer Hank Varner of the Intelligence Unit at the Police Department! Do you read? Over!"

Hailey's eyes widened as she scrambled to get the walkie-talkie out of her pocket. Once she did, she held it tightly in her hand and pressed the button to respond. "Yes, sir, I do." She replied. "Over."

"Good. Now, have you been checking Sapphire Springs Ranch lately through your binoculars? Over."

Hailey pressed the button and spoke into the receiver. "Yes, I just did. I saw Augusta put something over a hucow or hubull. Over."

"She has a hucow. Her name is Bella." Hank replied. "Now, Bella apparently spoke to Augusta, meaning she's fighting the brainwashing and that it hasn't completely taken over her yet. Over."

Hailey's eyes widened. "Spoke?" She asked. "Well, what did she say? Over."

"She pleaded for help, saying that everything hurts and she can't stop mooing. The sooner we can get her to the hospital, the sooner the brainwashing can be undone. But we have to get the ones who are deep in their brainwashed states first. Over."

"Is anyone coming to get them? Over."

"Yes. Officer Daniel Harrison of SWAT and Agents Madeline Bailey and Julian Lambert and Director Simone Cameron of the FBI will be here at midnight with an ambulance. And when that happens, Officer Patrick Foster is gonna wake Augusta up and find the hucows and hubulls to save. For now, keep an eye on her, got it? Over."

"Yes, sir, will do. Over."

"Good. Officer Hank Varner, over and out."

"Hailey Underwood, over and out." Hailey put the walkie-talkie back in her pocket.

Meanwhile, at the drive through order window, a drive-thru employee named Eli gently tapped the stem of the microphone. Suddenly, he heard a whooshing sound. When he looked up, he saw a UFO from Area 51 slowly land in the parking lot, making him jump.

"Ah!" He said. He then became confused, tilting his head. "Does this count as a bus?"

Meanwhile at the cash register, Hailey smiled at a woman who was eating a burrito. "Hi, are you ready to order?" She asked.

"No thanks." The woman replied. "I have this burrito." She took another bite.

"Well, there are other people waiting." Hailey said.

The woman shrugged. "Okay." She said as she went to sit down.

The doors then opened, making Hailey look. Her eyes widened when she saw a young man with brown hair, pale skin, and blue eyes wearing a green T-shirt, denim blue jeans, black socks, white sneakers, and a dark blue baseball cap on his head. But she wasn't shocked at him. No, behind him were five aliens-or what looked like aliens. They were skinny, had large heads, light green skin, and black eyes. They only had two dots for noses and a small mouth. When they came up to the counter, the young man at the front, Hailey smiled, and he smiled back.

"Six Lennon and McCartney cheeseburgers with curly fries and chocolate milkshakes with whipped cream, no cherries, and rainbow sprinkles for me and all of my best friends!" He said, his arms wide, gesturing to the aliens behind him.

"Okay, is that to go, or...?" Hailey asked as she punched in the numbers on the cash register.

"To go, please." The man said.

"Okay, that'll be $36.49." Hailey said.

The man nodded as he put in his credit card. When he wasn't looking, one of the aliens turned to a small child who was eating chicken nuggets in a high chair.

"Boo." The alien said.

"Eek!" The child yelped, clinging to her mother, the sound making the man turn.

"Artemis!" He scolded, making the alien turn to him. "Leave that poor child alone!" As the alien walked back to him, he gave a sympathetic look to the child and her mother, mouthing "sorry about that." The woman just smiled sweetly and mouthed, "it's okay, dear" as she comforted her daughter.

Eli walked over, a curious look on his face as he leaned against the counter. "Do all of the aliens have names?" He asked.

"Of course they do!" The man replied. "I love and cherish every alien that I saved from Area 51! What kind of influencer do you think I am?"

Eli smiled. "That's beautiful."

Hours have passed, and the work day began to wind down at Sapphire Springs Ranch. Augusta watched as Bella went into her corner to sleep without question. As she got in a comfortable position, she looked at Augusta with gentle but worried eyes, and Augusta smiled reassuringly and began patting her head.

"You'll be out of here soon." She said. "I promise."

"O...kay." Bella said with a sleepy nod. :Good...night...moo." She closed her eyes and went to sleep.

Augusta removed her hand. "Sleep well, Bella." She said before opening the door to the stall, walking out, and closing the door behind her.

She walked further into the barn, looking around for the sleeping quarters. As she did, she passed by Liliana, who was standing beside a door that had a sign that read "Isabella Steel's Office." Augusta turned to her and smiled, figuring that she could ask her for help.

"Hi." She said in a voice so low that only Liliana could hear and not Isabella. "Liliana, right?" When Liliana nodded, Augusta continued. "Where is the sleeping place Isabella mentioned?"

When Liliana pointed to the storage room, Augusta looked to it and became confused.

"Really?" She asked. "Over there? Why?"

"It's...big...enough." Liliana replied, her voice as blank as her eyes.

Her oh so beautiful blue eyes...

Augusta shook her head. Focus, girlie, she thought. She smiled at Liliana. 

"Thanks." She said. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight...Alyssa." Liliana said with a curt nod.

Augusta smiled as she began to walk to the storage room. However, when she turned away, she shuddered. Officer Harrison and Agent Madeline better be on their way. She couldn't stand one moment more in this place. As she walked, the bell jingled, but all she heard was the whooshing and heartbeat sound from her earbud.

Augusta opened the door to the storage room, seeing that it was well-lit and the walls were wood planks. Even the bunk beds looked rather cozy. Tucked in the corner was a shower stall. Realizing that she forgot to shower this morning, she took off her uniform and got in the shower.

Upon getting out of the shower, she changed into the white nightgown that Hailey gave her and went to the pantry, where she found neatly labeled containers with pre-portioned food packs inside. She took one and saw that it was labeled "Caretaker Ration." She opened it, grimacing at the sight of the dense, beige paste that looked like a mix of dough and gelatin.

"What's in this junk?" She asked herself.

She sniffed it, and she smelled nothing. Suddenly remembering the bottles Jay gave her that morning before she left, she took one out of her nightgown pocket, the one labeled "Food." She opened the bottle, dropped a bit into the food, and, after waiting a minute like Jay instructed, she took a careful bite.

Her eyes widened. The flavoring was cheeseburger! She loves cheeseburgers! But then again, who doesn't? Everybody does! With hot dogs, grilled bologna, kielbasa, French fries, potato salad, and grilled corn on the cob...

Augusta sighed, the memories of those summer Sunday barbecues with her family coming back to her. She dug into the food, taking sips of water in between. She was glad Jay had those bottles, wherever he got them from.

Meanwhile, after closing up the restaurant, Hailey waited for the bus back home at the bus stop. When it arrived, she got on and took a seat. As the bus drove away, she looked at Sapphire Springs Ranch, a worried look in her eyes.

"Good luck, girlie." She whispered as if Augusta could hear her. "You can do this."

Meanwhile at Sapphire Springs Ranch, after dinner was done, Augusta put the empty tray in the trash and climbed into her bed, the whooshing and heartbeat sound from her earbud replacing the bell around her neck that rang whenever she moved, the now familiar sound soothing. Eventually, she fell asleep.

Meanwhile, back at her house, Hailey fed her four pets, two dogs and two cats and made herself a chicken salad sandwich for dinner and watched Nichijou: My Ordinary Life on Amazon Prime. After that, she went to bed, snuggling under her blanket. She then turned to the cross that hung on her wall and clasped her hands together.

"Please be okay, Augusta." She whispered, praying. "Please don't end up like those hucows and hubulls, and please don't end up like Isabella Steel. You can do this. I believe in you. I have all my life, and I'm not stopping now. You're going to be okay. I'm here for you. You got this. You and me together. Like always. Be strong like the brave woman you are. Please believe in yourself, and be brave. Goodnight, Augusta. I love you, girlie."

Eventually, Lana, her 4-year-old female Calico cat, jumped up on the bed and snuggled up beside her. Hailey began petting her, and Lana closed her eyes, her gentle purrs soothing Hailey, and eventually Lana, to sleep.

~A few hours later, midnight, 12:00 AM~

"Augusta! Wake up! It's Patrick! Do you read?"

The words instantly awoke Augusta from her peaceful slumber. Once her eyes fully opened, she slowly sat up, the whooshing and heartbeat sound from her earbud replacing the jingle of the bell around her neck. She pressed the button to respond. "Yes, Patrick, I read." She replied, a little bit sleepy.

"Okay, good. Sorry for the sudden awakening." Patrick continued.

"No, no, it's okay." Augusta said softly and reassuringly before yawning. "And good news, earlier when Sarge spoke, he said he and Tracy liked my mac and cheese. I promised thek that I'll make it again. Maybe when this is all over? As a celebratory dinner?"

"Definitely. That's a great idea." Patrick agreed.

Augusta smiled a bit. "Good. I have some pretty good ones."

"You do, indeed." Patrick agreed.

Augusta's tone then became serious, something she got from Hank when she was training under him a year ago. "Okay, but enough talking. Is it time?"

"Yup. Officer Harrison, Agents Bailey and Lambert, and Director Cameron and the ambulance are on their way as we speak. Now, tonight, you have to get two victims: a hucow named Luna, and a hubull named Apollo."

"Okay." Augusta said as she put on her socks and shoes and got out of bed. "Tell me about them."

"Luna is one of the top hucows, her specialty being milk production, meaning she's very deep in her brainwashed state." Patrick explained. "Apollo is one of the top hubulls, and his specialty is breeding."

Augusta gasped. "That's so cruel! Forced to have sex over and over? Her pussy and his dick must hurt!"

"Yeah, probably, which is why the best time is now. Stay calm, okay? I'll guide you through everything. Now, Stall 33 is where Luna is, and it's closer to your room. Go there first, and be as quiet as you can."

Augusta nodded. "Okay. Heading out now."

Augusta began tip-toeing toward the door, keeping her movements and sounds quiet. She carefully opened it, peeked out, looked around, and stepped out. She silently closed the door and began walking into the main room. Everything was quiet in the barn except for the snores and grunts of the sleeping hucows and hubulls. She looked around and, upon seeing Stall 33, carefully walked towards it.

"Patrick, I am approaching Stall 33." She whispered, her hand holding the button.

"Alright, good. Now, when you see Luna, she'll be asleep. Gently wake her up and tell her your real name, not your undercover name. She'll be tied to a leash, so carefully untie it and then get Apollo, who's in Stall 18. Then, get them outside to Officer Harrison and Agent Bailey. They'll take it from there."

"I hope so." Augusta replied. "Hey, what are they gonna do to them at the hospital?"

"They'll be fine, Augusta." Another voice spoke through the earbud. "Hey, this is Jay. How was your dinner?"

"Oh, hey, Jay. It was good. Thanks. Say, where exactly did you get those bottles?"

"You're welcome, and I got them from Ebay."

"Alright, that's good to know. But answer my question: what are the doctors gonna do to the hucows and hubulls once they get to the hospital?"

"Well, first, Dr.Green is going to perform surgery on them to remove the excess fat in the breasts and muscles. After they recover, Dr.Chamberlain and his colleagues will have them undergo psychological treatment for a while in order to undo the brainwashing, and once that's done, they'll be sent back to their rightful homes. Back to their families and friends, the world of humans, where they belong."

"Really? Oh, phew, I was worried they might pull a Tsukasa or something."

On the other end, Augusta heard Patrick gulp. And then, Jay, asked in a smug tone:

"Augusta?"

"Y-Yeah?"

"You and Patrick aren't thinking of Tsukasa, are you?"

At the same time, but in different locations, Augusta and Patrick shouted: "N-no we're not! BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" Blood shot out of their noses.

"Okay, okay, enough!" Patrick shouted quietly. "Augusta, are you at Stall 33 yet?"

Augusta looked at the stall door. On the front there was a sign reading "Stall 33." Augusta nodded, knowing that this was the location. "Yeah." She said.

"Good. Now, carefully, but quietly, open the door."

Augusta did so, and the figure inside stirred. Luna was a beautiful hucow, with a petite body, large breasts which were HH cup at most, gleaming and well-polished horns, soft, short black hair, pale, glowing skin, blue eyes that were blank like the rest of the hucows and hubulls, and she had a golden nose ring. Her body was perfectly curved, showing off her beauty. Her eyes stared up sleepily at Augusta, who gently smiled at her.

"Hello, Luna." She said. "My name is Augusta Steel, and I am Isabella Steel, the owner of Sapphire Springs Ranch's, little sister. Don't be scared, though. I'm not like her at all. I am simply here to help you and the other hucows and hubulls." She gently put her finger to her lips. "I'm gonna need you to be quiet though, okay? Shh."

Luna nodded sleepily. She allowed Augusta to untie her and usher her up. Augusta gently led her out, quietly closing the stall door behind her. She then proceeded to make her way to Stall 18, where Apollo was.

"Patrick, Jay, I am approaching Stall 18."

"Good." Patrick said. "I don't see anyone nearby, Augusta, so you're in the clear. Keep going."

"You're doing great." Jay said encouragingly.

Augusta rolled her eyes. "Gee, thanks." She said sarcastically. When she reached the stall door with a sign reading "Stall 18," she opened it, but upon doing so, she heard sirens, making the figure inside wake up and Augusta jump in alarm.

Apollo had fiery red hair, pale skin, and calm yet blank brown eyes. His body was muscular, his ears were shaped like a bull's, and his horns, which were protruding at the sides of his head, were sharp. His eyes gazed sleepily at the source of the sound, then to Augusta. Augusta looked at the source, then back at Apollo.

"Uh, guys..." she said, "I hear sirens."

"That's Officer Harrison, Agent Bailey, Agent Lambert, Director Cameron, and the ambulance!" Patrick said. "Get Luna and Apollo out now!"

"Okay, okay." Augusta said before quickly untying Apollo's leash and ushering him up. "Hey, did I tell you guys that I know Officer Harrison and Agent Bailey?"

"Yeah, you told me." Patrick confirmed.

"No, you haven't." Jay said. "Do you?"

"Yeah. Officer Harrison was a friend of my dad, and Madeline was my next door neighbor growing up. We were really close."

"Well, that's interesting." Jay said. "Get them out now, though. Conversations later."

Augusta nodded. "Got it. Leading them out now."

Holding their leashes in each of her hands, Augusta led Luna and Apollo out of the barn. In the distance, a SWAT car, an FBI van, and an ambulance stood, being shone by the ambulance's blinking red and blue lights. The lights showed the four figures standing there: SWAT Officer Daniel Harrison, FBI Agent Madeline Bailey, FBI Agent Julian Lambert, and FBI Director Simone Cameron. Daniel was a tall Black man with a bald head, brown eyes, and black facial hair wearing the SWAT uniform, but the helmet was held in one hand while a gun was in the other. Madeline was a tall woman with medium-length brown hair in a ponytail, pale skin, and blue eyes wearing the FBI uniform, holding a gun in one hand. Julian, whom Augusta had worked under a few times before, was tall and had tousled dark brown hair, pale skin, and blue eyes wearing the FBI uniform, along with a brown trench coat, carrying a gun. Simone Cameron, who visited the Intelligence Unit office a few times, was a Black woman with curly black hair and brown eyes wearing the FBI uniform, a gun in her hand. Upon seeing them, Augusta picked up her pace, making Luna and Apollo trot alongside her.

"Daniel! Madeline!" She said.

"Augusta, how are you?" Daniel asked, putting his gun and helmet on the hood of the car. He opened his arms, and Augusta let go of Luna and Apollo and dove into them. She breathed in his scent, a mix of pine trees and apples. A manly smell for a manly man.

"How are you doing, sweetie?" Madeline asked, putting her gun on the hood of her van. As soon as Augusta and Daniel let go of each other, the former ran over to Madeline and hugged her. Breathing in the scent of the beach, Augusta realized that she missed these two more than she knew.

As the greetings were being exchanged, three women got out of the ambulance. One woman had a blonde bob haircut, pale skin, and blue eyes, another woman, who seemed to be of Japanese-American descent, had curly black hair in a ponytail, pale skin, and brown eyes, and another woman had curly black hair in a ponytail, pale skin, and brown eyes. The blonde woman and the second woman with curly black hair in a ponytail carried out two stretchers.

After Augusta and Madeline let go of each other, the former went over to Julian. "Hey, Julian, it's been a while." She said.

"Indeed it has." Julian said as he held out his hand, which Augusta gently took.

After Julian and Augusta let go of each other's hands, the latter walked over to Simone. "Director Cameron, are you observing the case?"

"You bet I am." Simone replied as she held out her hand, which Augusta gently took. "I tell you, girl, in my twenty years of being FBI Director, I have never seen a case like this." The two women briefly shook hands before letting go of each other's hands.

Daniel walked over to the three women. "Augusta, these are Sylvia Black, Veronica Morris, and Stella-Luna Kennedy." He said. "They're paramedics and will be helping us on this mission."

Augusta turned to the three women. "Hello." She said. "I'm Augusta Steel, the younger sister of Isabella Steel, who's the owner of Sapphire Springs Ranch. I am working undercover as Alyssa Dilano to figure this place out and save everyone here."

"It's nice to meet you, Augusta." The blonde woman-Sylvia-said, offering her hand for a handshake. "But why Alyssa Dilano?"

Augusta shrugged as she shook Sylvia's hand. "I honestly don't know. Ask Officer Pratt, the Chief of Police. She's the one who gave me it, and made how I look." She and Sylvia let go of each other's hands.

"Wait," Veronica said as she held out her hand, which Augusta gently took, "this isn't how you actually look? Officer Pratt did all this?"

Augusta smiled as she shook Veronica's hand. "Yup. Normally, my hair is black. But my eyes are the same. They're a light grey." She and Veronica let go of each other's hands.

"You know, she's married to one of our firefighters." Stella-Luna said as she held out her hand, which Augusta gently took. "His name's Michael. Great guy, and he loves drinking."

Augusta shook Stella-Luna's hand. "Yeah, she mentioned him once or twice. Oh, and I love your name. Stella-Luna? That was one of my favorite books when I was a kid. My mom used to read it to me every night when I was little." She and Stella-Luna let go of each other's hands.

The compliment made Stella-Luna blush, a grin on her face. "Aw, thanks." She said. "Yeah, my parents are astronomers, so they named me and my siblings after different planets."

"That's amazing!" Augusta said. "So...should we get Luna and Apollo to the hospital now?"

"Yes, we should." Sylvia said before she and Veronica grabbed onto Luna and Apollo's leashes. "Come on, you two."

Augusta watched as Sylvia and Veronica put Luna and Apollo onto the stretchers and into the ambulance. It was then that Daniel put an arm around her, something that he used to do to comfort her whenever Isabella would give her one of her human experimentation lectures when she was younger.

"You doing okay after your first mission?" He asked.

Augusta nodded. "Yeah, I'm okay." She replied. "But there's more victims, and I have to be strong. But honestly, that's easier said than done, but I think I can do it."

"You always have." Madeline said. "You were such a good kid, Augusta. You were the best neighbor I ever had."

Augusta smiled. "I'm glad to hear that, Maddie. Thank you."

Madeline, smiling at the nickname Augusta used to give her when she was little, ruffled her hair. "You're welcome."

Once Luna and Apollo were loaded into the ambulance and Stella-Luna got inside, Sylvia and Veronica got into the front doors. Daniel closed the ambulance back doors and patted it, signaling the ambulance to go. Once it left, he turned to Augusta.

"Go back in and get some sleep." He ordered gently. "You have more rescues to do tomorrow."

Augusta nodded, the past few minutes having been so intense she forgot about sleep. "Yeah, I should. Goodnight, guys. See you tomorrow night."

"See you then, sweetie." Simone said. "Good seeing you again."

"Same here." Julian added.

"Me too." Madeline added.

"Glad you're here." Daniel added.

Augusta nodded, her smile now hopeful. "Yeah, me too."

She watched her friends get into their respective vehicles and drive off, waving goodbye until she couldn't see them anymore. Once they were gone, she tiptoed back into the barn and into the storage room, snuggling into the bed, the whooshing and heartbeat sound from her earbud being her only comfort.

"Good job tonight, Augusta." Patrick said through the earbud.

"Yeah, good job." Jay added.

Augusta nodded. "Thanks, guys."

"Get some sleep." Patrick advised. "Tomorrow, Detective Olivia Barnes from the Special Victims Unit and Detective Elliot Smith will be speaking to you from this earbud to ask you questions about the victims so they'll know more when they arrest them."

Augusta gasped quietly upon hearing those names. Detective Olivia Barnes and Detective Elliot Smith? She idolized those two and was lucky to work with them on a few cases in her past two years as a police officer in the Intelligence Unit. Olivia was a motherly person, having two kids, a son and a daughter, of her own with her husband, and Elliot was always kind to his coworkers and a loving husband and father to his six kids: three sons and three daughters. But when he's on a case, he goes hard. He gets really scary, like you better run away and hide! They may be married to two entirely different people, but Augusta always thought that they'd make a pretty cute couple.

"Really?" Augusta asked, a bit of excitement in her voice.

"Yeah." Patrick confirmed. "Now, I know you like them and think they should be a couple, but focus on the job at hand, okay?"

Augusta nodded. "Will do, guys. Thank you once again for helping me, and you, Jay, for giving me a nosebleed."

"Hey, I got one too!" Patrick added.

Jay laughed. "You guys are too funny. Anyways, Sarge is saying we should go home and rest for the night. Goodnight, Augusta. You'll hear from us again tomorrow."

"Goodnight, you two." Augusta said.

"Goodnight." Patrick said before signing off. "Patrick, over and out."

"Jay, over and out." Jay said before signing off.

"Augusta, over and out." Augusta said before signing off.

She signed and pulled the covers over her shoulders, the worries of the day beginning wearing on her shoulders. But she had to be strong for the sake of her family, her friends, the hucows and hubulls, and the entire community. With that in mind, she fell asleep, hoping for an easier tomorrow.

Chapter Text

The morning bell sounded throughout the barn like a rooster's "cock-a-doodle-doo." It woke Augusta up, but she felt surprisingly well-rested. The bed wasn't as cozy as her bed back home, but it'll have to do for now, depending on how long she'll be undercover for.

With a yawn and a stretch, Augusta got out of bed and changed into her uniform. She grabbed a caretaker ration food packet from the cabinet and opened it. She added the cheeseburger flavoring, waiting a minute, and then she began to eat. She sighed upon the food entering her mouth. Just as delicious as last night.

When she finished her breakfast and downed a glass of water, Augusta ran out of the storage room , a bottle of water from the pantry in her pocket, and into the barn, making her way to Stall 10. When she got there, Bella was already awake, her tail swishing lazily. When she saw Augusta, her blank blue eyes widened with hope. Augusta gently smiled in response.

"Good morning, Bella." She said in a soft, kind voice as she picked up the clipboard and walked inside the stall, closing the door behind her. "How are you feeling?"

"Still...hurts." Bella strained to speak.

Augusta bent down to her eye level. "Where exactly does it hurt?" She asked. "And how bad on a scale of one to ten?"

"My...back..." Bella said slowly, "this...pain...goes...over...ten. Maybe...an...eleven? MOO!"

"Shh, shh." Augusta spoke soothingly, stroking Bella's hair. "It's okay." She looked at the schedule. "It says here that after you do squats, you have to get a massage. Does that help with the pain?"

"A...little." Bella replied.

"Okay. Hey, when I was younger, my best friend Hailey and I pretended to give each other massages all the time. I was pretty good at it. But when the time comes, I'm gonna give you a real massage, okay? Using from what I learned back then."

Bella nodded. "O...kay..." she looked around, making sure that no one was looking, before looking at Augusta again, "Augusta."

Augusta smiled. "Okay, good. Now, are you hungry?" She looked at the schedule. "You have to eat before you do anything else."

"Y-Yes...thank you...Augus...ta...MOO!"

Augusta patted Bella's head. "I'll be right back, okay? Don't move."

Bella nodded, and Augusta walked out of the stall, closing the door behind her, and went to the feeding area. She grabbed a packet of food and the mask and went back over to the stall, opening the door, walking in, and closing the door behind her. She put the food and water into their respective bowls and put the mask on Bella.

"Eat up." She gently told her.

Bella nodded and began to eat and drink, a sight that made Augusta feel slightly better. Bella should eat and rest. Maybe she'll go easy on the exercises for her today.

It was then a voice spoke into the earbud.

"Augusta? It's Detective Olivia Barnes of the Special Victims Unit. Can you hear me?"

The familiar, motherly voice made Augusta jump up in slight excitement. She pressed the button to respond. "Yes, Detective, I can hear you! It's such an honor to hear your voice!"

"It's good to hear you too, Augusta. How are you holding up?"

"Okay. Bella, the hucow I'm with, is eating right now. Did Sarge tell you what I told him?"

"That Bella talked to you? Yes, he did. Did she say anything else?"

"Today she said that her back really hurts. On a scale of one to ten, she said it's an eleven. Based on what she told me yesterday, this could be because of the massive size of her breasts. That can cause back pain."

"Yeah, that's true. And Hank said that you saw Isabella, right?"

"Yeah, yesterday morning, when I got here."

"And if I'm hearing this right, Isabella has a maid hucow?"

"Yes, that's right. Her name is Liliana. Her eyes, Detective, they're so blank, and she looks so out of it. And I still don't understand how the brainwashing process works."

Olivia sighed, not in disappointment, but in worry. "Okay, Augusta, here's what you're gonna do: try and talk to Liliana alone. In her current state, she should be extremely receptive. See if you can get something out of her."

Augusta nodded. "Okay. Yeah, I think I can do that."

"Good. In the meantime, keep doing what you're doing. Try and help Bella as best you can, like ease the pain a little."

"On her schedule, a massage is after she drinks water after squats. When me and Hailey were younger, we used to pretend to give each other massages all the time. I know it sounds weird, but I've gotten pretty good at it. But it was pretend, so I don't know how to do it in real life."

"Just do your best, and keep her talking." Olivia said reassuringly.

"Will do. Hey, is Detective Elliot Smith there yet?"

"No, not yet, but he'll be here soon. He'll talk to you at some point today, okay?"

"Okay, Detective Barnes."

"Good luck, Augusta. Olivia, over and out."

"Thank you, and you too, Detective Barnes. Augusta, over and out." Augusta released the button on the earbud, and she turned to Bella, who had finished her food and drink. "Finished?" She asked. When Bella nodded, she smiled gently. "Good girl." She then leaned in closer, taking off the mask. "Bet it tastes pretty bad, huh?"

"Not...really." Bella strained. "Tastes...mostly...like...chicken...MOO!"

"My favorite chicken dish is chicken parmesan." Augusta said, putting the mask down on one of the barrels. "When you're human again, you get to enjoy it like you did before, okay?"

Bella nodded. "O...kay."

Augusta nodded. "Alright, then, Bella." She looked at the clipboard. "Let's do some squats, so let's..."

A familiar voice suddenly interrupted her. "Hey, Augusta! It's Hailey! Can you hear me? Over."

"Oh, hang on, Bella." Augusta whispered, gently patting Bella's head. Bella nodded before Augusta pressed the button on the earbud. "Yeah, Hailey, I can hear you! It's so good to hear your voice! How are things going over there? Over."

"Pretty good. Someone asked for a breakfast burrito, or as they call it here, the Good Morning Good Morning breakfast burrito. How about you? Over."

"Interesting. Yeah, everything's fine. I'm taking care of Bella right now. We're about to do squats together. You wanna listen in? Over?"

"Sure. Over."

"Okay, here we go. Over." Augusta released the button on the earbud and turned to Bella, who tilted her head in confusion.

"Moo...was...that?" She asked slowly.

"That was my childhood best friend, Hailey." Augusta told her. "We were homeschooled together by my mother. You ready to do squats now?"

Bella nodded. "Y-Yes, but please...be...gentle...everything...still...hurts...MOO!"

"Of course." Augusta said as she got into position. "Let's also make it a little fun. When me and Hailey were younger, one of our classes in homeschooling was P.E, and one of the exercises was squats. We would do them to a TLC song." She began doing squats while singing, Bella following along. "Don't go chasing waterfalls..."

"Are you sure it wasn't No Scrubs?" Hailey asked. "Over."

"Too on the nose." Augusta replied. "Over." She then continued doing squats with Bella while singing. "Please stick to the rivers and lakes that you're used to..."

The squats and singing continued until the second chorus. When they were done, a sweating Augusta gave Bella some water per the instructions, while Augusta herself sipped some of her own water. She swallowed, sighed, closed the bottle, put it back in her pocket, and turned to Bella, watching as she drank. When the bowl was empty, Bella looked at her legs, her face showing that she was in pain. Augusta gently smiled and stroked her hair.

"Ready for your massage?" Augusta asked.

Bella nodded. "Yes...please..." she looked at the caretakers between, the one on the right being a woman who was wearing a tight crop top and tight workout shorts, and the one on the left being a woman with blonde hair, pale skin, and blue eyes wearing the normal uniform, before looking back at Augusta, her voice now low, "Alyssa."

"Alright." Augusta looked at the schedule, saying that a fold-out massage table, pillow, lotion, massage oil, and breasts pumps were in the supply closet. "Stay here. Don't move. I'll be right back."

Bella nodded, and Augusta opened the stall door and walked out, closing the door behind her, and over to the supply closet, carrying the mask with her. She put it back and got out the fold-out massage table, pillow, lotion, massage oil, and breast pumps. When she came back out and walked over to Bella's stall, the hucow's blank blue eyes seemed to shimmer with relief. Augusta walked opened the stall door, walked in, and closed the door behind her. She folded out the massage table and put on the pillow. Augusta looked at the schedule, which said that Bella has to lie down on her stomach, then her back. The breasts pumps are for the last part of the massage. Augusta smiled at Bella before gently undressing her according to the instructions on the schedule, then she gestured to the table.

"Okay, Bella, go on and lie down on your stomach." Augusta said.

Bella nodded and laid down on the table, a soft moo escaping her as her stomach made contact with the soft material of the table. Augusta then read the instructions, which told her to use the massage oil first, then once she's done with the back, apply a generous amount of the lotion all over Bella's body. Augusta nodded before squirting some massage oil onto Bella's neck and shoulders, the scent of lavender filling her nose. It reminded her of her mother's perfume.

Augusta gently rubbed the oil all over Bella's neck and shoulders, as that was where to start the massage per the instructions on the schedule. Bella sighed.

"How does this feel?" Augusta whispered. "Is the pain starting to go away?"

"A...little...bit." Bella replied, her voice strained, but a little relaxed.

Augusta nodded. "Okay, good. Do you want me to hum you a song? What's your favorite song?"

"Been here...so long..." Bella replied, "can't...remember."

Augusta felt a tinge of worry in her stomach. The brainwashing really got Bella good, even though she's been here for only a month. "Well, do you at least remember the artist or band?" She asked gently.

"I...think...it...was...The Script." Bella replied.

Augusta nodded. "I love those guys. The leader, Danny O'Donoghue, is really handsome. I'll hum you one of my favorite songs by them: Superheroes, if that's okay."

Bella nodded. "Yes...that's...fine...MOO!" She felt Augusta's hands rub over a sore spot on her neck. "So...much...better."

Augusta smiled and began humming the beginning notes of the song as the massage continued, her hands working at but when she got to the chorus, she couldn't help but softly sing aloud.

"When you've been fighting for it all your life

You've been struggling to make things right

That's how a superhero learns to fly

Every day, every hour, turn the pain into power

When you've been fighting for it all your life

You've been working every day and night

That's how a superhero learns to fly

Every day, every hour, turn the pain into power..."

Augusta looked at Bella's face, seeing her smile. But it wasn't a blank smile. It was one of true relaxation. Augusta knew she could fight back. The sight made her smile as well. She was about to hum, or maybe even sing, the next verse, but then Hailey's voice interrupted.

"Hey, great singing voice, girlie! As always! Over."

Augusta blushed. "Oh, um, thanks, sweetie. What's up? Over."

"Um, just a quick heads up. I see Isabella and another woman coming at three o'clock. Over."

Augusta looked up, and Hailey was right. Isabella was walking into the barn, carrying what looked like a small whip. By her side was Liliana, a blank expression on her face, her eyes half-lidded as if she just woken up from sleep. Augusta quickly looked down and continued the massage, starting to rub Bella's shoulders. As Isabella and Liliana stepped closer, Augusta didn't bother to look up.

"Was that you singing?" Isabella asked.

Augusta, concentrating on relieving Bella's tension, could only nod and let out a soft but audible "Mm-hm."

"Hey!" Isabella spoke louder, snapping her fingers. "I'm talking to you, Alyssa!"

Startled, Augusta looked up. "Oh, yes, ma'am." She said. "That was me singing."

Isabella smiled, but it was more observant than kind. "You remind me of my little sister, Augusta." She said thoughtfully. "She always had a great singing voice. Last I checked, she was a police officer." She tilted her head. "You even look like her, kind of. Those same light gray eyes."

I am her, bitch, Augusta thought. She wanted to say it, but it was too risky. So instead she shrugged, "Interesting observation, ma'am. So what brings you two to my stall?"

"Just checking in." Isabella replied. She looked around. "Two caretakers told me that two of our most prized hucows and hubulls, Luna and Apollo, are missing. Do you know what happened to them?"

Augusta shook her head. "No, ma'am, I have no clue."

Isabella nodded. "Alright. Now, tomorrow, Bella is participating in the hucow and hubull fitness competition. As you are her caretaker, I expect you to come."

Augusta nodded. "I'll be there, ma'am." She looked at Liliana, and, remembering what Olivia told her to do, looked at Isabella again. "Hey, um, may I please talk to Liliana for a second? In private, if you don't mind?"

A confused expression was on Isabella's face, but then she slowly nodded. "Sure. Just make it quick. She has to go to the spa later." She began walking away.

Once Isabella was out of sight, Augusta whispered to Bella, "Stay here." Bella nodded, and Augusta went to open the stall door. She walked out, closed it behind her, and walked closer to Liliana, who just looked up at her with half-lidded eyes. Augusta took a deep breath before speaking to her in a gentle tone. "You know this isn't who you really are, right?"

"Yes...it is." Liliana replied softly.

Augusta shook her head, keeping her voice gentle. "No, it's not." She gently put her hands on Liliana's shoulders. Unsurprisingly, she didn't flinch. "What happened to you?"

"I...don't...remember." Liliana said. "I only...listen...to Mistress Isabella...and Mistress Tessa."

Augusta's eyes widened. Tessa? Her niece? "Well, right now, you have to listen to me." She continued, her voice still gentle. "What did they do to you?"

"They put me...in the spa." Liliana replied. "I'm milked, and these voices...they talk to me."

"What do these voices say?" Augusta asked.

"They tell me I'm a good hucow." Liliana smiled dreamily. "That I'm so obedient. To not resist. To obey."

Augusta looked around before looking Liliana in the eyes. "Liliana, listen to me. Promise not to tell Isabella?"

Liliana nodded. "I...promise...Mistress Alyssa."

"I'm not your mistress." Augusta's voice was firm, but still soft and gentle. "And my name is not Alyssa Dilano. I am Augusta Steel, Isabella's younger sister, and I'm an undercover police officer. My friends and I are helping you. But you have to stay quiet for now, okay? Fight this."

"Fight?" Liliana asked. "What's there to fight? There's no need to resist."

"Well, can you at least try?" Augusta asked. "If you do, I'll ask Isabella if I can give you a reward."

Liliana smiled at the word 'reward' and nodded. "Yes, Augusta."

"Good girl." Augusta praised, making Liliana smile. "And if Isabella asks what you and I talked about, just say that I'm impressed on how obedient you are, okay?"

Liliana nodded again. "Yes, Augusta."

Augusta let go of Liliana's shoulders and patted her head. "Good girl. Go along now."

Liliana nodded and walked away. As soon she was out of sight, she walked back to the stall, opened the door, walked inside, and closed the door behind her.

"Sorry about that, Bella." She said softly, a gentle smile on her face. "You ready to continue?"

Bella nodded, still speaking in her strained but soft voice. "Y-Yes, Alyssa...MOO!"

Augusta nodded and continued the massage according to the instructions on the schedule, rubbing the oil and lotion, which had a creamy texture and smelled of vanilla, on Bella's back. However, when Augusta began massaging Bella's feet, joyful giggles and moos came out of the hucow's mouth, which made Augusta smile.

"Ticklish?" She asked.

"Y-Yes...MOO!" Bella replied, breaking out into a fit of giggles and moos.

Augusta giggled a bit. "Yeah, same here."

After she was done with her feet, Augusta instructed Bella to flip over onto her back so she can massage her front. When she was done with that, it was time for the breasts massagers to be put on. Augusta did so with ease, gently putting the suction cups on Bella's breasts and pressing the power button on the machine. As the machine hummed to life, Bella's expression became blank, her smile almost dream-like. Shaking her head, Augusta took her hand.

"Look at me." She whispered. "Fight it. This is how they get to you. Here, squeeze my hand."

Bella did so, some of her natural blue eye color returning to her irises. It worked. Augusta nodded. "Good girl. When you feel your mind slipping, just squeeze my hand. Don't worry, you'll be out of here before you know it."

Bella nodded. "O...kay...Augusta...MOO!"

The breasts massagers continued working, milk flowing out of Bella's breasts. Each time her expression became sleepy, she would tightly squeeze Augusta's hand. Augusta spoke to her in a soft yet firm tone, telling her how she was strong, that she was brave, that she was safe, that she can fight this, that everything will be okay, and that she'll always be here.

After the massage, there was stretching to do. After putting the folding table, massage oil, massage lotion, and breast pumps back in the storage closet, Augusta began to show Bella the exercises.

"Let's start with my favorite." Augusta said. "The lliotibial band stretch. Hailey and I learned this when we were being homeschooled for P.E. So first, stand close to the wall," she moved closer to the wall separating Stall 10 and Stall 9, and Bella copied her, "good. Now, put your hand against the wall," she put her hand on the wall, and Bella did as well, "and cross your left leg over your right leg at the ankle, like this," she crossed her left leg over her right leg, the ankles close to each other, and Bella copied her movements, wincing a bit, "good job! Now reach your left arm overhead toward the right side. You should feel the stretch in your hip." Bella copied her. "Now, hold for thirty seconds, and do the same thing on the other side. But don't forget to breathe, okay? How are you feeling?"

"O...kay, but...it...hurts." Bella strained.

"Your back still?" Augusta asked.

"Y-Yes." Bella replied.

"Do you want me to sing a song for thirty seconds until it's time for the next stretch?" Augusta asked.

"Yes...please...MOO!" Bella replied.

Augusta nodded. "Okay. Another song by The Script?"

"Sure." Bella replied.

Augusta nodded. "Good. Okay, this song is called Breakeven." She cleared her throat and began to sing.

"I'm still alive but I'm barely breathing

Just praying to a God that I don't believe in..."

"It's...been...thirty...seconds...MOO!" Bella reminded her, making her stop singing.

"Alright. Onto the other side."

Augusta and Bella turned so that their backs faced each other. They put their hands on the wall and crossed their legs at their ankles before stretching their arms overhead, reaching to the other side. Augusta resumed singing.

"Cause I got time while she got freedom

Cause when a heart breaks, no, it don't break even

Her best days will be some of my worst

She finally met a man that's gonna put her first

While I'm wide awake, she's no trouble sleeping

Cause when a heart breaks, no, it don't break even, even, no..."

Augusta continued guiding Bella through different stretches, continuing to sing Breakeven as she did so. When she finished singing the song, Bella sipped some more water from her bottle. She swallowed, sighed, closed the bottle, and looked at the schedule. It was time for another grooming session. Augusta picked up the brush.

"You ready, Bella?" Augusta asked gently.

Bella nodded. "Moo!" She said.

Augusta giggled before beginning to gently brush Bella's hair and fur. By the time she was done, the familiar bell rang throughout the farm. Augusta and Bella looked at each other, knowing what that meant.

"Moo!" Bella said.

Augusta nodded. "That's right, Bella." She said. "It's time for lunch."

Augusta opened the stall door, walked out, and closed it behind her. She walked to the storage closet and pulled out a serving of Bella's food and her water, as well as her mask. She walked out of the storage closest and towards the stall, and when she got there, she opened the stall door, walked in, and closed the door behind her. She gently put the mask on Bella and put the food and water into their respective bowls, then she set the bowls down in front of Bella.

Augusta sat down on the barrel where the food bowls were, her water bottle in hand, watching Bella eat. She looked around the barn, wondering who she'll be saving tonight. Suddenly, there were more footsteps, but they weren't the familiar clicking heels or soft steps of Isabella and Liliana. Rather, there were clicking high heels and soft padded feet. Augusta quickly jumped at the sound and turned toward the source. Entering the barn were two women, though one of them was on her hands and knees like a dog.

Wait...what?

A freaking dog?

The woman wearing high heels seemed a bit older than Isabella, but she was definitely younger than Tracy. She had shoulder-length curly blonde hair, pale skin with some wrinkles, and blue eyes that were as cold as ice. She was wearing a trainer uniform. The woman walking on all fours was beside her, a red collar around her neck holding a small blinking device, a circular gold charm, and a red leash that was held by the other woman. Her auburn hair brushed neatly across her back, her skin was pale, and eyes were a pale blue. Around her wrists and ankles were padded restraints, and the outfit she was wearing was minimal, designed to mimic the sleek fur of a dog, along with dog ears on top of her head, and a plush tail at her backside.

Just as quickly as she turned to them, Augusta turned away and sipped some more water. She leaned over and spoke softly to Bella, who looked up at her.

"You enjoying the food?" She whispered.

"Moo." Bella replied before going back to eating and drinking.

Augusta nodded. "Good girl."

"Hucows don't talk in words." A sharp voice spoke. "They moo."

Augusta turned to the voice. It was the woman wearing the trainer uniform. Beside her, the woman on all fours stood like a dog, her arms in front and her legs positioned so her knees pointed upwards. Looking closer, Augusta saw that the gold charm had a word: Pet. That can't be the woman's name. Was it? Nonetheless, Augusta got off the barrel and stood up straight.

"Can I help you, miss?" She asked.

"I'm Valeria, the trainer." The woman said. "Are you Alyssa Dilano?"

Augusta nodded. "That's me, ma'am. Do you need something?"

"I'm here to check on Bella, seeing that you're her caretaker." The woman-Valeria-continued. "I trust that she is all ready for tomorrow?"

Augusta nodded. "Yes, ma'am. All healthy and ready to go."

Valeria looked at Bella, who was still eating and drinking, and nodded. "Let's hope so. Fitness is Bella's specialty, and we expect her to win. Isabella expects nothing less." She turned to Augusta and looked her up and down. "Isabella told me you have a nice singing voice. I've heard it myself walking by earlier."

Augusta blushed a bit. "Oh, is that so? I've been told. Singing's popular where I come from."

"And where would that be?"

Oh crap, Augusta thought. I did not expect her to ask that. Think Augusta, think...oh, I know!

"The Philippines." Augusta replied. "Manila, to be exact. According to online resources, the Philippines is the Karaoke Capital of the World. Great food over there, and everyone is very friendly." She looked at Bella. "Singing seems to motivate Bella, as I sang some songs by The Script to her when I did her massage and stretches with her earlier."

Valeria nodded. "Hm, I see. Perhaps you wouldn't mind singing Bella a little tune before the competition?"

"That I can do, miss. I know a few confidence-rising tunes. I expect no extra pay. In the Philippines, they pay you enough when you sing karaoke."

Valeria nodded. "Good. Here at Sapphire Springs Ranch, we expect no less from our caretakers."

Augusta nodded. "You and Miss Isabella will not be let down." She then let her gaze go to the woman by her side. "And who is this? Why is she on a leash?"

"Ava here is my dog." Valeria continued. "My pet. Days of reprogramming and training turned her into a feisty girl with resistance into a sweet, obedient puppy." She pulled a piece of paper out of her pocket. "Take a look."

Augusta leaned closer, her eyes widening. It was a before and after image. The image on the left showed what Ava was like before: fighting against her handlers, her eyes like fire, wild and resistant. The image on right showed Ava how she is now: still and obedient, standing in the same position that she's standing now in front of Augusta. Augusta looked back at Ava, then back at the picture.

"It's a new type of conditioning we at Sapphire Springs Ranch invented." Valeria explained. "It's a lot similar to what we do to the hucows and hubulls, but in Ava's case, it's a little more...harsh. But it works, as you can see."

Her words, the image, and the sight of Ava made nausea grow in Augusta's body. Her stomach churned, and bile was beginning to rise up in her throat. She kept her position, standing straight, but then she gagged, the sudden sound making Valeria and Ava stand back a bit.

"Arf!" Ava barked in alarm.

"What's wrong with you?" Valeria asked in a commanding tone.

Suddenly, a familiar voice, one more commanding yet having a protective tone, spoke through the earbud.

"Officer Steel! This is Detective Elliot Smith! Do you read me?"

"Um..." Augusta clenched her stomach, "where's the women's bathroom?"

"Bathrooms are down the hall by the water fountain." Valeria replied, pointing to where the hallway should be.

"Thank you. Bella will be ready for tomorrow. Excuse me."

Augusta took off running, not caring that Valeria and Ava were watching her. As she ran to the bathroom, Detective Smith's voice continued.

"Officer Steel? You okay?"

"Uh..." Augusta gagged again before pressing the button on her earbud to respond, "I can hear you just fine, Detective Smith. Hang on a second."

She opened the women's bathroom door and walked in. It was surprisingly clean, with chessboard tiles, white tiled walls, and five stalls. She knocked on one, and, when no one answered, opened it, ran inside, locked it, and lifted up the toilet seat before kneeling down beside it.

She gagged again before throwing up, a thick brown fluid gushing out of her mouth. She put one hand on the toilet rim while the other hand held her hair back. She gagged, coughed, spat, and vomited until every last piece of the food in her stomach was emptied. Shaking, she stood up, closed the toilet rim, and flushed it before kneeling back down and covering her ears. She screamed, tears of disgust and fright running down her face.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Oh my God, what?" Detective Smith sounded concerned. "What's wrong with you?"

"They're making dogs!" Augusta screamed.

Detective Smith was silent for a second, as if he was processing what he just heard. Then, he said a loud, "What?!"

"They're turning women into dogs!" Augusta cried.

"AUGH! WHY?!" Detective Smith screamed.

"I DON'T KNOW! THEY SAID IT WAS A NEW TYPE OF CONDITIONING!"

"OH MY GOD!"

"AH!"

"AH!"

"AH!"

"AH!"

"AH! WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?! I HAVE TO SAVE HER!"

Detective Smith was then heard taking a deep breath, then he spoke again, his tone a bit more calmer. "Augusta, calm down. What's this woman's name?"

"Ava. Her owner is Valeria. I think she's a trainer, as tomorrow, Bella has to participate in a hucow and hubull fitness competition. They're expecting her to win. I have to be there, as I'm her caretaker. She came to check in on Bella, and Ava was just standing there, on a leash, her eyes blank like the rest of them. There was a gold charm that said 'Pet' on her collar, as well as this small blinking device. I think it's meant to be a shock device."

"Okay, Augusta, here's what you're going to do: listen carefully. You're going to ask Valeria if you can take care of Ava for the night. Say that you want to study her. And then, when the FBI agents and the paramedics come, get her there along with the hucow and hubull you're saving tonight. Got it?"

Augusta nodded as she took a piece of toilet paper and wiped the remaining vomit off her mouth. "Got it, Detective."

"Good. I know you can do it, Augusta."

"I know you can too, Detective. Hey, have you gotten an update from the hospital about Luna and Apollo?"

"Yes. They had their respective surgeries last night, but they've been in and out of sleep."

"Is that normal?"

"Yes. It's called postoperative sleep disturbances. Anesthesia can be a cause of it, but they'll be fine in a few days, then the therapy will begin."

"Okay, thanks, Detective. Once I'm finished with this mission, can I see them?"

"Of course. Dr.Green owes you for doing this. She'll be happy to see you."

Augusta sighed in relief, both upon hearing this and the mention of the surgeon who took on the case. Meredith Green, the surgeon at the hospital, is a childhood friend of Isabella and Augusta's mother, so Augusta has known her all her life. She was a gentle, kind woman who could be tough when needed. She also had a motherly side that manifested in gentle hugs and protecting others, especially when Augusta was little and Isabella begged her to reconsider the idea of human experimentation. She would hold her close and scold Isabella as Augusta clung to her, the scent of her peony smelling perfume comforting her. Augusta could almost smell that scent, giving her comfort as her stomach still churned.

"Oh my gosh, I am so glad." Augusta said.

"I know you would be." Detective Smith replied. "Listen, I gotta go. Try not to let anyone know that you got sick, unless they heard you, and then you'll get a sick day." His voice lowered. "The employees do get sick days, right?"

Augusta nodded. "Yes, we do."

"Okay, well, if you do get a sick day, try to rest up. And if you don't, well, just push through. Good luck, Augusta."

"Good luck to you too, Detective Smith. Talk to you soon. Bye."

"Bye. Detective Elliot Smith, over and out."

"Officer Augusta Steel, over and out."

Augusta released the button used to talk and dropped the toilet paper in the toilet. She stood up, closed the toilet lid, and flushed again. She opened the stall door and walked out, closing the door behind her before going to wash her hands. Once she dried them, she put on hand cream that she kept in her pocket and walked out of the women's bathroom, only to find Isabella and Liliana standing there, both having concerned looks on their faces. However, Liliana's face was more blank than concerned.

Oh shit, Augusta thought.

"Are you okay, Alyssa?" Isabella asked, her tone concerned but with an underlying edge.

Augusta nodded quickly. "Yes, ma'am, I'm okay. I think I just swallowed some bad food, that's all."

Isabella looked her up and down. "How?" She asked. "The food we've been giving you..." she shook her head, "as soon as possible, we're gonna be placing you on a new diet. You clearly have a very sensitive stomach. Plus, maybe you can shed a few pounds."

Augusta scoffed before crossing her arms. "Last I checked, ma'am, my weight was 130 pounds. There's no weight loss needed, nor a diet."

"Drop that tone." Isabella commanded. "You have the rest of the day off. Go get your water bottle from Stall 10."

Augusta nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

She walked to the barn, Isabella and Liliana following her. Once she got to Stall 10, she opened the door, went in, and closed it behind her. She grabbed her water bottle and leaned down to Bella's eye level, her voice becoming soft and gentle.

"I have to take a sick day." She said. "I'll see you tomorrow for the competition, okay? You're going to do great."

Bella nodded. "Moo!" She said.

Augusta patted Bella's head before turning back to Isabella and Liliana. Another caretaker-a man-now stood beside Liliana. He was tall, had broad shoulders, sharp features, and a stern expression. His hair was a fiery red and he had pale skin and had brown eyes. His uniform was a simple shirt and pants with cow patterns, and he also wore white socks and brown shoes.

"Marcus here will take care of Bella for the rest of the day." Isabella said, gesturing to the man, who simply nodded at Augusta. She then pulled something out of her pocket-a bottle of pills, which she opened and shook, a small white tablet gently landing on her palm. "Take one of these." She said, handing it to Augusta. "It'll help with your nausea and keep you from throwing up."

Augusta, her stomach still churning, gently took the pill without hesitation. She swallowed it with water before opening the stall door and walking out, closing the door behind her. She then turned to Marcus, her entire body facing him, and she glared.

"You better take good care of Bella." She growled. "If I hear from Miss Isabella, Liliana, or even Bella herself that you laid even a finger on her, I will have you fired. Do you understand me?"

Marcus just nodded, seemingly not fazed by her strict tone. Augusta nodded as well. "Good." She turned to walk away, but not before turning to Bella and Liliana. "See you later, Bella and Liliana."

"Moo!" Bella said.

"Feel...better." Liliana said softly.

Isabella just nodded while Marcus got to work on Bella, although he did give Augusta a reassuring glance. Augusta just smiled and walked away.

As soon as she walked back to the storage room, Augusta could feel the pill working, her churning stomach soothed. The lunchtime bell rang throughout the barn, and she could hear hucows and hubulls mooing in expectation. But the thought of food made her gag. Still, she took a breath and calmed down.

She sat on her bed and digged through her bag, finding a puzzle book, a pencil case full of pencils, highlighters, crayons, markers, and a small notepad, her rose bookmark, and the first three volumes of the manga she had yet to read: DanDaDan. So she took the first volume and her rose bookmark, laid back on the pillow, and opened the first page.

~Eight hours later, 8:00 PM~

By the time the bell rang for the end of shift, Augusta was halfway through volume 1 of DanDaDan and was done with most of the puzzles in her puzzle book. She heard a soft bark outside the door. Remembering what Detective Smith wanted her to do, she got off the bed and opened it, seeing Valeria walking with Ava beside her. She cleared her throat.

"Um...excuse me! Miss Valeria?" She called.

Valeria and Ava stopped in their steps and turned. "Yes?" She asked.

"Um..." Augusta clasped her hands around her back, swaying slightly, "you seem to have a lot on your hands with the other hucows and hubulls. Why don't I take Ava off your hands for the night?"

Valeria tilted her head. "What are you saying?" She asked.

"I'm just saying that you need to train the hucows and hubulls participating in tomorrow's competition, right?" Augusta asked. "So you'll be busy, and someone needs to watch over Ava. I actually want to study her, see how this conditioning worked on her."

"Aren't you sick, though? I don't want my precious little pet to get sick. That is, if you're contagious with whatever you have."

"Oh, something just disagreed with me. I'm fine."

Valeria gave her a suspecting glare before gently tugging Ava along. She walked closer to Augusta and put a cold hand on her forehead, making her shiver. She pursed her lips and nodded slightly.

"No fever." She muttered before removing her hand off Augusta's forehead and stepping back. "Alright. Here." She pulled out two dog food bowls, a water dispenser, and two water bottles from her pocket and gave them to Augusta. "Give her one bowl tonight and one tomorrow morning. You put the water in the dispenser and press a button, and it'll fill the bowl. I trust you understand?"

Augusta nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Valeria nodded. "Good." She lifted up a well-manicured finger and pointed it accusingly at Augusta. "But if something bad happens to her, I'm blaming you and telling Isabella. Got it?"

Augusta, not at all unfazed, nodded. "Yes, ma'am. I'll take good care of her."

Valera nodded once again before kneeling down to kiss Ava's head. She then stood up and carefully handed Augusta the leash before turning and walking away. Augusta waved her goodbye, and Valeria turned to give a quick glance back at her and Ava, nodding and waving slightly as well. Once she was out of sight, Augusta gently tugged on the leash, ushering Ava along. Once inside, she set the bowls and water dispenser down before kneeling in front of Ava and pulling her into a hug.

"Arf?" Ava was confused.

"I'll get you out of here." Augusta whispered, stroking Ava's hair. "I promise."

Ava licked Augusta's cheek and snuggled into her shoulder, making Augusta smile slightly while holding her a bit tighter. She'll get her out of here tonight. She never breaks a promise.

~Four hours later, 12:00 AM midnight~

"Augusta, this is Patrick, you ready?" Patrick's voice is what woke Augusta up.

"Yes, Patrick." Augusta said before putting on her socks and shoes, her actions waking Ava from her slumber. Augusta turned to her. "Ava, come." At her command, Ava quietly trotted over to Augusta. Once she was close enough, Augusta kneeled down in front of Ava and put the collar and leash, which she had removed earlier before going to bed, on Ava. She then put a finger to her lips. "Shh."

Ava nodded, making Augusta gently smile before grabbing the leash, and then Augusta opened the door and walked out, Ava following close behind.

Minutes later, as soon as sirens were being heard and lighting up the night, Augusta gently ran to the SWAT car, FBI van, and ambulance, gripping Ava and Danica, a hucow whose specialty was service's, leashes in one hand, and Osiris, a hubull whose specialty was fitness like Bella's, leash in the other hand. Their blank faces, though having hints of confusion, showed no resistance as they gently trotted alongside her.

"Daniel! Maddie! Agent Lambert! Director Simone!" Augusta cried as she got closer.

"Augusta?" Daniel asked, looking at Danica, Osiris, and Ava. "What's wrong?"

"It's worse than we thought!" Augusta replied.

"Why?" Madeline asked. "What happened?"

"It's not just cows they're turning humans into! They're also turning them into dogs!" Augusta cried before gesturing to Ava. "Ava here is the first! The trainer Valeria is her master! Please, you guys have to help her!"

"Aw, hell nah!" Daniel shook his head. "We gotta arrest these guys now."

"No!" Simone butted in. "We need more intel!" She then turned to Augusta. "Augusta, sweetie, what else happened today?"

"Well, I gave Bella-the hucow assigned to me-a massage, and one of the things I had to use was breast pumps. When they started working, she seemed to...drift. She looked so relaxed. I figured that it was one of the things used for conditioning, so I held her hand and told her that each time she feels herself drifting, she had to squeeze my hand. Isabella told me that I have to go to a hucow and hubull fitness competition tomorrow, as Bella's competing. She also said that I need to be put on a diet, as I threw up today."

"Oh no!" Madeline gently stroked Augusta's forehead. "Are you okay?"

Augusta nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I said that something didn't agree with me, but I think it was because of what Valeria showed me."

"What did she show you?" Julian asked.

"The before and after results of Ava's transformation." Augusta replied. "Speaking of, we need to get these three to the hospital."

"Of course." Daniel said as Sylvia, Veronica, and Stella-Luna got out three stretchers.

Augusta watched as Ava, Danica, and Osiris got on the stretchers and were loaded into the ambulance. Once the doors closed, Daniel patted the back doors, and the ambulance drove off. He, Madeline, Julian, and Simone each gave Augusta a quick hug before leaving in their respective vehicles, following the ambulance to the hospital.

Once they were out of sight, Augusta carefully tiptoed back to the storage room, where she then took off her shoes and socks and climbed into bed, the whooshing and heartbeat sound, now a familiar comfort, being her only companion in the silent room.

"Good work tonight, Augusta." Patrick said through the earbud. "We'll speak again tomorrow night, okay? For now, get some sleep."

Augusta pressed on the button on the earbud to answer. "You too, Patrick. Goodnight."

"Goodnight. Officer Patrick Foster, over and out."

"Officer Augusta Steel, over and out."

Augusta released the button and snuggled into the bed, falling asleep rather quickly, knowing that, with the morning bell, another day will start, and all she could do was hope that everything will be okay, for her and everyone else.

Chapter Text

Luna's eyes opened slowly, once again adjusting to the darkness of her hospital room. She had lost track of time, going in and out of sleep since the surgery to remove the excess fat from her breasts, which were now a B-cup, an average breast size for a woman her age, which was twenty-four. As soon as her eyes fully adjusted, the pain in her chest came back.

"Moo." She groaned.

Unbeknownst to her, Maggie Lawrence, a nurse who works the night shift on Fridays and has the day off on Saturdays, had heard her groans of pain. She stopped at Luna's door and opened it, gently turning on the lights. Upon seeing her, Luna felt a sense of relief. From the brief moments she's been awake these past few hours, she got to know Maggie, a kind, motherly, and caring Black woman with wavy dark brown hair that was held back slightly with a thin, dark blue headband, and brown eyes. She was always gentle, both in her touch and voice.

"Good evening, Luna." Maggie said. "I heard you outside. Are you in any pain?"

Luna pointed to her chest, which was covered by a light blue hospital gown with dark blue polka-dots. "Moo." She said.

Maggie shook her head. "Still haven't relearned to talk yet?" She asked gentle. "Well, it might be hard for you, sweetie. But don't worry, you will soon."

"Um, excuse me?" A gentle voice asked. Maggie turned, seeing the hospital psychiatrist, Dr.Dylan Chamberlain, a slightly chubby man of sixty-five with combed-back gray hair, pale, wrinkled skin, and slightly thick black-rimmed glasses. He was holding a clipboard. "Maggie?"

"Dylan?" Maggie asked. "You're working the night shift too?"

Dylan shrugged. "I do so occasionally." He replied. "Is Luna okay?"

Maggie nodded. "Yeah, she just woke up." She replied. "But I'm worried. She hasn't relearned to speak."

"Well, that is to be expected." Dylan replied. "But lucky for you, I have an idea."

Maggie shrugged. "Well, I'm all ears. Let's hear it."

"Do you remember the true story of Helen Keller?" Dylan asked.

"The woman who went deaf and blind as a child and couldn't learn to speak?" Maggie asked. "Yeah, I've watched The Miracle Worker many times as a kid. It was my mother's favorite movie."

"Well, do you remember how Helen Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, taught her how to speak?" Dylan asked.

"Um, didn't she spell out words into Helen's hand?" Maggie asked.

Dylan shook his head. "Close, but that was her starting method. Her actual method was when she would put Helen's hands on her face as she talked so she could feel the vibrations of the letters. I think we can do that for Luna and Apollo. How is he, by the way?"

"He's okay, he's just asleep right now. But why do we have to do that? Luna's not deaf and blind."

Dylan laughed. "Exactly. And that's why I'll be using this." He held up a poster of the letters of the alphabet. I'll give her a letter, and then use my hand to put her hand on my throat as I say it, and from there, the vibrations will help her learn to speak again."

Maggie considered the suggestion before shrugging, willing to do anything to help Luna and Apollo. "I suppose it couldn't hurt to try." She stood back, gesturing him inside the room. "Go ahead."

Dylan smiled and nodded in approval. "Thank you." He said before walking into the room. "Hello, Luna. I'm Dr.Dylan Chamberlain, and I'm the hospital psychiatrist."

"Moo." Luna greeted, although her voice was a bit strained due to pain.

Dylan pulled up a chair and sat beside Luna's bed. "I understand you've been having some trouble speaking." He said. "Lucky for you, I'm here to help." He held up the poster of the letters of the alphabet. "I'm going to pronounce these letters, then I'm going to put your hand on my throat so you can feel the vibrations of the letters. Hopefully, this will teach you how to speak again, okay?"

Luna nodded. "Moo." She replied.

Dylan nodded. "Good. Let's begin." He pointed to the first letter on the poster: the letter A. "This is the letter A. It's the first letter of the alphabet, which also starts with the letter A. A." He gently took Luna's hand and put it on his throat. "A. Say it with me. A."

Luna felt the vibrations from Dylan's vocal cords as he put emphasis on the letter. The vibrations registered through her hand, going up to her brain. The appearance and sound of the letter appeared in her mind, being printed into her brain. She felt the sound on her tongue, wanting to come out, to be heard, to be said. So she did exactly that.

"A." Luna said.

Dylan nodded in approval, smiling. "See? There we go! Repeat after me now: A."

"A." Luna repeated.

"Again. A."

"A."

"One more time: A."

"A."

Dylan grinned. "Very good! Let's move on to B now. B is the second letter is the alphabet after A." He gently took Luna's hand and put it on his throat. "Say it with me now: B."

"B." Luna said.

"Good, good. Again. B."

"B."

"Repeat after me, Luna. You're doing great. B."

"B." 

"One more time. B."

"B."

Dylan nodded. "Very good! Now, let's move on to C, the third letter of the alphabet after A and B. Let's begin." He put Luna's hand on his throat. "C."

"C." Luna repeated.

"Very good. Repeat after me now: C."

"C."

"Good job. C."

"C."

Maggie watched the exchange, smiling gently. Dylan has been working here for forty-two years. She trusted him completely. She continued watching, unaware that Dr.Dominic Archer, the head of the emergency department, was walking up behind her.

"How's Luna doing?" He asked.

"Eek!" Maggie yelped, jumping slightly. She turned, seeing her former supervisor standing behind her. She let out a relieved sigh, smiling. "Dr.Archer! You scared me. Luna's doing fine. Apollo's still sleeping. The anesthesia got him and Luna good."

Dominic nodded. "That's good to hear." He said before peering into the room. "What the hell is Dylan doing in there?"

"He's using a technique Anne Sullivan used to teach Helen Keller." Maggie explained. "Basically, he puts Luna's hand on his throat as he says a letter so Luna will know what it sounds like, therefore helping her learn to talk again."

Dominic nodded. "Okay then. Come on, we have patients to attend to."

As the two walked to the emergency department, they chatted about their personal lives, how their spouses were doing, how their kids were doing in school. It was hard to believe that the tall, broad man with thick gray hair, pale skin, brown eyes, and gray beard was the gentle and motherly nurse's supervisor back when she was an intern twenty years ago, when she was twenty-six and he was forty-four. He expected the best from her and, while sometimes harsh, he made her experience memorable. He motivated her in ways no one else could, keeping her on track and in check. The experience kept her working and made her the nurse she is today.

Just as they arrived in the emergency department, the doors opened, and Stella-Luna Kennedy carried a thin girl with auburn hair and pale skin wearing a minimal outfit designed to mimic the sleek fur of a dog, padded restraints on her hands and ankles, a dog ear headband on her head, and a red collar around her neck. On the collar was a gold charm and a blinking device.

"Incoming!" Maggie said. She looked at the tracker in her hand, a device that tells her who was coming in. "Three people."

"Twenty-two year old female." Stella-Luna said urgently as she pulled in the stretcher. "Taken from Sapphire Springs Ranch. Officer Steel has revealed that her name is Ava they're also turning humans into dogs."

"Take her to Room 2." Maggie told her as Sylvia and Veronica came in with two other stretchers.

"Twenty-three year old female taken from Sapphire Springs Ranch." Sylvia said. "According to Officer Patrick Foster, her name is Danica and her specialty is service."

"Take her to Room 3 and stabilize her before taking her to the operating room." Maggie instructed. "I'll text Dr.Meredith Green to see if she's available."

"Twenty-four year old male taken from Sapphire Springs Ranch." Veronica said. "According to Officer Patrick Foster, his name is Osiris his specialty is fitness."

"Take him to Room 4 and stabilize him before taking him Pre-OP." Maggie instructed. "I'll text Dr.Meredith Green to see if she's available."

She ran behind the reception desk and pulled out her phone. She went onto her messaging app and scrolled until she found Dr.Meredith Green, the head surgeon's number, and tapped it. She quickly typed:

Maggie: The patients r here. U available?

Almost immediately, an ellipses appeared, meaning that Dr.Meredith Green was texting back. Then, there was a quick ding, and a new message read:

Meredith: Yup, send them up.

Maggie quickly typed back:

Maggie: Doing so right now.

Maggie put her phone in her pocket and ran into Room 2, where other nurses were working on stabilizing the hucow, Danica.

"Is she ready?" She asked.

"Yes, Maggie." A female nurse named Donna, who was taking Danica's blood pressure, said. "She's stable and ready to go."

"Good. Dr.Meredith Green says to bring her up." Maggie said.

"Yes, ma'am." Donna said before nodding to the other nurses, who nodded back before moving the bed out of the room.

Maggie stepped back and watch them leave before running to Room 3, where nurses were working on stabilizing the hucow, Osiris.

"Deep breaths for me." A male nurse, Ricky Flowers, who was checking Osiris's heartbeat through his back, gently told Osiris.

"Is he ready?" Maggie asked.

"Okay, heart and lungs sound good." Ricky said before taking the earplugs on his stethoscope out of his ears before turning to Maggie. "Yes, Maggie. He's stable and ready to go."

"Good. Dr.Meredith Green says to bring him up. Take him to Pre-Op. The hucow Danica is getting surgery first."

"Yes, ma'am." Ricky said before he nodded to the other nurses, who nodded back before moving the bed out of the room.

Maggie stepped back and watched them leave. Once they were gone, she ran to Room 1, where a group of nurses were trying to stabilize Ava. One was trying to put in an IV of normal saline. She was awfully thin, her body similar to that of a sixty pound dog. Unbeknownst to her, the nurse who was putting in the IV, a blonde woman named Katelyn Easton, noticed this and spoke up.

"Is something wrong, Maggie?"

"Um, can you put Ava on the scale real quick?" She asked. "I wanna see how much she weighs."

Katelyn nodded. "Yeah, sure." She gently turned to Ava and put her arms around her shoulders. "Come on, sweetie."

"A-Arf." Ava said obediently, nodding.

Katelyn helped her up, and Ava immediately went on all fours, resulting in the needle in her arm coming out and a bit of blood seeping out. Seeing this, Katelyn knelt to her height.

"No no no." She said gently. "Stand up."

"Arf." Ava replied, her voice quiet as if she was under some sort of spell.

Katelyn helped her up, put the needle back into her arm, and gently led her to the scale, one hand on Ava's shoulder while the other hand carried the IV pole. Ava's legs were shaking from being all fours for so long. Her legs have forgotten how to walk. With Katelyn's help and gentle words of praise, she stepped onto the scale, shivering as the cold metal touched her bare feet. Maggie watched as the numbers on the scale go up.

*BEEP*

"60 pounds." Katelyn said, her words making everyone else in the room widen their eyes.

"I knew it." Maggie said. "They're not just transforming humans into cows, bulls, and dogs, they're making them resemble them."

"How?" A male nurse named Dell Lane asked.

"It's something in their diets." Maggie explained. "Ava was probably given dog food with a chemical that made her quickly lose weight. With the hucows and hubulls, there's something in their food that makes them either gain weight or gain muscle, depending on the gender."

"So in other words, we need to make her gain a healthy amount of weight." A female nurse named Carolina Espinosa.

"But how?" A male nurse named Dalton Sunjata asked, looking around. Those who met his gaze either shrugged or looked at the others.

"Give her 1612.8 milliliters of partial parenteral nutrition through peripherally inserted central catheter." Maggie instructed. "Monitor her for 24 hours. This will give her the nutrients that she needs. Once she's at a normal weight, I can talk to Dr.Chamberlain and see if there's a room for her in the psych ward, where she'll receive treatment to reverse the conditioning."

"What's normal weight for her?" A Black female nurse named Elizabeth Ferguson asked.

"Average healthy weight for females is 110 to 145 pounds." Maggie explained. "Weigh her once the 24 hours are up. If she's not there yet, prepare her for another 24 hour dose."

"Yes, ma'am!" The nurses in the room said in unison.

Maggie nodded. "Good." She said before walking away.

Meanwhile, on the second floor, Dr.Meredith Green, the head surgeon, waited outside the door to the operating room. She watched as the elevator door opened and Veronica rush out, Danica on a stretcher. She stopped at a tape red line, showing that this was as far as she can go.

"What do we got?" Meredith asked, walking over.

"Danica is a hucow." Veronica said. "She's twenty-three and her specialty is service, according to Officer Patrick Foster."

"I'll take it from here, sweetie." Meredith said with a gentle smile. "You can go now. Other people need you."

Veronica nodded and saluted. "Yes, ma'am." She said before walking away.

Meredith let out a little chuckle before turning to the door, seeing her surgical first assistant, George Knight, peeking out. "Is she ready?" He asked.

"Yes." Meredith replied. "I'm going to scrub up. You and the others bring her in. Okay?"

George nodded. "Yes, ma'am." He said.

Meredith nodded and walked away, and that was when George pulled the stretcher into the operating room. By the surgical table, an anesthesiologist, a physicians assistant, two surgeons, and a nurse first assistant waited for him. He brought the stretcher next to the surgical table, and the others gathered around it as well.

"On my count, ready?" George asked, gently gripping Danica's shoulders.

"Ready!" The others replied as they gently gripped Danica's legs and arms. The anesthesiologist gently gripped Danica's legs, the physicians assistant and one of the surgeons gently gripped Danica's left arm, and the other surgeon and the nurse first assistant gently gripped Danica's right arm.

"One, two, three!" George said before he and the others lifted Danica up and put her on the surgical table.

"Shouldn't we put her in a hospital gown first?" The anesthesiologist, Rayna, asked.

"No time." George said. "But we should at least put a cap on her. Go get one, please."

"Right away, sir." Rayna said before walking away.

Meanwhile, Dr.Meredith Green had just finished washing her hands and putting on gloves and a surgical cap. She walked out of the bathroom, and George ran over to her, carrying light blue scrubs. Meredith held her arms out, allowing her assistant to put it on her.

"Thank you, hon." She said as George put it on her.

"No problem, boss." George replied as he tied the scrubs in the back.

"Everyone ready?" Meredith asked as she and George put on their masks and walked over to the surgical table.

"Yes, ma'am!" Everyone else, including George, replied in unison.

"Then let's begin." Meredith said. She looked down at Danica, who seemed out of it, her eyes glazed over. "Everything will be back to normal soon, sweetie. Just try and relax."

"M-Moo." Danica said obediently.

"Can you make a fist for me, sweetie?" Rayna asked gently as Meredith drew marks under Danica's breasts where she'll make the incisions. In her brainwashed state, Danica obeyed, making a fist with her left hand. "Beautiful." She gently inserted the IV needle into Danica's vein. Danica didn't even flinch. She then gently removed the needle and put the cannula in place with a sterile bandage before gently inserting a tube into the cannula, keeping her free hand on Danica's arm, both to keep the cannula in place and to comfort her. She then grabbed a syringe from the tool cart, unscrewed the cap, and put it into the tube. "Pushing 1.5 milligrams of propofol." She gently pushed the plunger, allowing the white, milky liquid to go through the tube and into Danica's vein. The result was almost immediate, Danica's blank dark brown eyes becoming half-shut. Rayna then grabbed an oxygen mask and gently put it over Danica's mouth. "Just breathe...you're okay...count backwards from ten."

Rayna counted backwards in her head. 10...9...8. Before she could count to 7, Danica's eyes closed.

"Is she under?" Meredith asked.

Rayna gently waved her hand in front of Danica's face. "Danica?" She asked. When she didn't respond, she looked up at Meredith and nodded. "She's under. I'll inject it again after ten minutes so she doesn't wake up."

"Good." Meredith replied. "Let's begin. Scalpel." She held out her hand. George gave her a scalpel, which, along with the other tools, are always cleaned twice. "Thank you."

"Sure." George replied as he grabbed some gauze.

"Starting incisions." Meredith made slow cuts under each of Danica's breasts, which started bleeding immediately. George and the nurse's first assistant, a young Chinese woman with black hair named Francine, put gauze on them, controlling the bleeding. Once the blood was gone, Meredith held out her hand again. "Retractors." George handed her two retractors, one for each breast, and she gently used them to pull the cut open. Meredith held out her hand again. "Forceps and scalpel." George gave her two forceps and another scalpel, and once they were in her hand, Meredith gave one and a scalpel to one of the surgeons, a tall Black man named Thomas. "You take the right breast, I'll do the left."

"Yes, ma'am." Thomas said as he got to work.

"You go prepare the suction machine." Meredith told the other surgeon, a middle-aged woman named Effie.

"Yes, ma'am." Effie said as she walked away to go get the suction machine.

Meredith and Thomas worked on Danica's breasts, pulling out tissue with the forceps and cutting it with the scalpel, while George and Francine controlled and wiped away the bleeding using the gauze. It took thirty minutes, taking out 300 grams of breast tissue, and by then, the suction machine was on and ready.

"Alright, let's close her up." Meredith said. She turned to the physician's assistant, a pretty blonde named Schuyler, and nodded. "Sutures are ready?"

"Yes, ma'am." Schuyler replied, holding up the needle and thread. "Beginning to close."

Schuyler carefully began sewing up the incisions, her movements careful and elegant. The thirty-eight year old has been a physician's assistant for eight years, and the wisdom has never left her. Once the wounds were closed, everyone looked to Effie.

"Suction?" Meredith asked.

"Yes, ma'am." Effie replied, holding up the suction tube. "Starting suction."

She put the tube on the sewed-up incision under the right breast, which, along with her left breast, was noticeably smaller, a C cup at least, and turned on the machine, which whirred to life. Almost immediately, yellow pus began rising up into the tube and into the large container connected the machine, where it landed on the bottom. Once it was clear, Meredith gave Effie a thumbs up, resulting in the latter moving on to the left breast and sucking out the pus, which went up the tube and into the large container connected to the machine. Once it was clear, Meredith gave Effie another thumbs up, resulting in Effie turning off the machine.

"Alright, we are done." Meredith said. She turned to Thomas and Effie. "You two take her to the recovery unit."

"Yes, ma'am." Thomas and Effie said in unison.

Meredith nodded and turned to Rayna. "You go with them and see if she wakes up. If she doesn't, come back with them."

Rayna nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Meredith nodded before watching Thomas and Effie put Danica back on the stretcher. Rayna ran to the door and opened it for them, and then she followed them as they took Danica out of the operating room. Meredith then turned to George. "George, clean the tools, and when you're done, you and Francine head to pre-op to get the hubull in for surgery."

"Yes, ma'am." George said as he picked up the tools and went to go wash them.

Meredith nodded and turned to Schuyler. "Schuyler, can you help me change the pillow and covering?"

Schuyler nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Once George cleaned the tools with soap and water, he and Francine went to pre-op. Looking around and seeing the muscular man with calm yet blank brown eyes and dark brown hair, it was easy to know who the hucow was. George and Francine went closer, seeing that he had ears shaped like a bull and growing horns on the side of his head. The clipboard at the end of the bed said his name: Osiris.

"How much do he weigh?" Francine, who had been working at the hospital for two years and has been a nurse's assistant for one year, ever since she immigrated from Beijing, China, and had been learning English since then, asked. "He so big!"

"The average weight for a healthy male is 199.8 pounds." George told her. "35%, or 77.1618 pounds, of muscle is extremely high. Let's put him on the scale."

Francine looked at him and nodded. "Yes. Good idea, Dr.Knight."

The two walked over to a supply closet and found a scale. They brought it over to Osiris's bed and helped him up, being careful not to accidentally take out the IV that was giving him normal saline. Once they put him on the scale, they watched the numbers go up.

*BEEP*

The numbers made George and Francine's eyes widened. "276.9618 pounds?!" George asked in disbelief.

"How?!" Francine looked up at him.

"They must've been giving him something." George theorized. "Steroids or God knows what."

"We theorize later." Francine told him urgently. "For now, we must get him to surgery!"

George turned to her and nodded. "Yes. Let's go."

They helped Osiris off the scale and into the bed, and they rolled him out of pre-op and into the operating room, where Rayna, Thomas, and Effie had returned and were waiting for them. The tools were clean, and a new clean pillow and clean covering was on the operating table. They quickly put him on the bed before Rayna put Osiris to sleep. Once they came back, Meredith carefully marked the places to operate on: the chest, the arms, and the six pack. When she was done, she looked up at her team with confidence in her eyes, showing her determination and care.

"Everyone ready?" She asked.

"Yes, ma'am!" Everyone replied.

"Starting incisions." Meredith said as she made cuts on the marked areas on Osiris's chest, arms, and six pack.

"All of this muscle." George said. "It's disgusting."

"That is why you do not take steroids." Francine pointed out. "Or whatever Buddha or Shangdi knows."

"Retractors?" Meredith asked. George handed her three of them, one for each area needed to be operated on. Two of them were the same ones used in Danica's surgery, but they was freshly cleaned. "Thank you."

"No problem, ma'am." George replied as he took out two pieces of gauze and gave one to Francine.

"You two do the same as last time, which is cleaning up blood." Meredith instructed before turning to Thomas. "You and Effie take turns with the suction machine."

"Yes, ma'am." Thomas and Effie said in unison.

"Speaking of, suction?" Meredith looked up at Effie, who nodded and turned on the suction machine and picked up the tube. "We're starting with the chest, on the left pec. I'll tell you when to stop."

"Starting suction." Effie said as she gently inserted the tube into Osiris's left pec.

The team watched as the yellow fat went up the tube and into the bucket, which was cleaned out by Effie herself after Danica's surgery, attached to the machine. She only stopped when told to by Meredith, and then she would move on to the next area. A few minutes later, Osiris looked rather less muscular, the effects of the steroids he was probably given taken away by medical science.

"Alright, let's close him up." Meredith said. She turned to Schuyler. "Schuyler, you got the sutures ready?"

"Yes, ma'am." Schuyler replied before holding up the needle and thread. "Beginning to close."

She carefully sewed up each incision. Even though there wasn't much pus, Effie used suction anyway. Once everything was done and clean, Meredith turned to Rayna, Thomas, and Effie again.

"You three take him to the recovery room and then take the bed back to pre-op." She instructed before turning to Rayna. "If he doesn't, come back with them."

Rayna, Thomas, and Effie nodded. "Yes, ma'am." They replied in unison before putting Osiris back on the bed and rolling him to the recovery room.

Meredith nodded before turning to George and Francine. "You two go and clean the tools."

George and Francine nodded. "Yes, ma'am!" They replied before taking the tools away to the washroom.

Meredith nodded before turning to Schuyler. "Schuyler, can you help me change the pillow and covering?"

Schuyler nodded. "Yes, ma'am!" She said.

As Meredith and Schuyler put the dirty pillow and covering away, the former couldn't help but hope that Augusta Steel, her niece, although not related by blood, could not only save the hucows and hubulls, but also be safe. Augusta was very careful growing up, and she hoped that, on this mission, she'll be the same way. She loved her and believed in her greatly as if she was her own child, despite having three of her own, her oldest daughter, Eloise, being very close to Augusta, and she hoped that not only Augusta believed in her, but also believed in herself.