As Christmas break approached, the patrol schedule slowed. Only the most villainous when out in winter. Colby went to run errands in the First Ward, dropping off paperwork at the Charlotte field office. With the chore finished, she started the walk back to the parking garage. Then Colby remembered the school cafeteria was closed for the day, so she called Flat.

"Lunch? We get some burritos?" Flat said. “I can call it in.”

"No. I'm right by the First Ward Super Taco-Taco. Don't call in the order. I'll use the Kiosk. You get secret menu combos and discounts when you use the Kiosk.”

"Can uptown deliver to the school?" Flat said.

"Orders get delivered from the nearest shop it's very internet…," Colby walked into someone on the street, a solid someone. She looked up.

"The sidekick," Billhook said with a smile under the beard. Colby backed up. He took a step forward and looked around. "No gorillas?"

"Colby?" Flat said over the phone. Colby backed up, her hand slipped under the blazer. Her vision focused on his hands. Large brick like hands. Thumbing open the snap and drawing the taser became a moment frozen in time.

"You're not getting away Sidekick," Billhook took a second step forward.

Colby dropped the cell phone as the X five thousand broke free of the nylon holster. Billhook laughed as he saw the Taser and the little red laser dot on his chest. Colby only saw his tee shirt.

The trigger pull felt like forever and broke with a snap that she felt in her hand. She’d jerked the trigger. Barbed prongs hit Billhook high in the chest and couldn’t penetrate his dense skin. A sticky electrolyte gel coating held the prongs in place.

Billhook reached up to pull the probes off, then bolts of lightning swirled up one line and down the other. The Taser clicked in her hand. The man stood stiff and twitched. Ten amps of electrical power flowed into his chest and the fall backward looked cartoonish. Everything about her moved slowly. His head struck the sidewalk with a thwack. Billhook’s teeth ground and squeaked, his eyes popped open. She could see bits of mist puff out of his tear ducts. The clicks from the Taser stopped, and Billhook didn't move. Colby dropped the Taser and backed up into the building.

"Colby?!" Flat screamed from the phone.

Gyaru sat with Colby in Dorm Four. She had given statements to the police at the scene. Colby should have waited for the PAHA field lawyer. But what's done is done. "What did the police say?"

"It's declared justified," Colby said.

Gyaru understood. "I been here before. Rudy will ask the District Attorney to bring it before the Grand Jury. We don't want this to come back," Gyaru said.

"I killed him. Shouldn't I be punished?" Colby said.

"You know Billhook. You did his file. He had a history of this…," Gyaru said.

"I killed him. I'm not supposed to kill people. That's what the Bible teaches. I committed a mortal sin. Shall not kill. My salvation is lost. Justifiable or Rudy pulling strings won't change that," Colby said.

"Mortal sin requires you wanted to kill him. Billhook forced your hand. Look. It's been four hours. Do you still feel the endorphins?" Gyaru said.

"How do I feel? That police detective. I wanted him. I'm no longer a good girl. Maybe I should have some fun now." Colby said.

"That's the endorphins. They’ll make you impulsive. You need a few days' sleep," Gyaru said.

"I should be punished for my sins," Colby said.

"If I get you the sleeping pills, will you take them?" Gyaru said.

"It's all mixed up. I want to kill him again and again. I'm not supposed to kill people. Barbra, what's wrong with me?" Colby said.

"Nothing's wrong with you," Gyaru said.

Gyaru closed the door to Colby's room. Mama Bear washed dishes in the kitchen.

"Well?"

"The muscle relaxer and sleeping pill combo hit her like a truck," Gyaru said. "Flat feels guilty that we couldn't help Go-Go. She'll stay with Colby tonight."

Mama Bear drained the sink. "Alright. Keep her down for three days.”

"I'd like to take her to medical when she wakes up," Gyaru said.

"That’s a good idea. Let Colby talk with the nurse. Then put her back down. Who handles your group's debriefings?"

Gyaru smiled. "Colby."

"No," Mama Bear said. "I'll handle any future debriefings."

"We just had it in our heads that Colby's not a fighter. I guess we should have told the bad guys," Gyaru said.

Mama Bear looked at the floor. "We can't let this happen again. Jenny Cooper and Kelly Winston. We're losing too many girls."

"You managed to save me once," Gyaru said.

Mama Bear smiled. "And you make me regret it once a week.”

"At least she's not cutting herself," Gyaru said.

Mama Bear reached up to pat the side of Gyaru's head. "Colby can't regenerate.”

Susan sat at the laptop in a dark room with Robo-Caddie Gorilla hunched beside her. He wore green golf pants and a red polo shirt. This Robo-Gorilla was the same height as Susan. When out, he wore a yellow flat cap.

"I found Colby's notes on the Cartel," Susan said.

"Oook," Caddie said.

"Yes, you were a big help. Where are the bases located?" Susan said.

"Oook, Oook!"

"North Tyron Street? No. That's old," Susan said.

"Oook."

"Yeah, a waste of time waiting for them, and the parking. Big no," Susan said. Caddie pointed to a spot outside of town.

"Oh yes, the Locust site. That might be just the place," Susan said. She closed the laptop.

"We'll do a test run. Assemble the Robo-Gorillas." Susan said.

"Oook."

Thirty-eight Robo-Gorillas gathered in the Gorilla Works, and two dozen had lit torches casting shadows over the shop. Susan stood atop a workbench and regretted not having a tiki torch for each Gorilla. She would order more for the next rally. The Gorillas looked back at her torches in hand.

"The Cartel took our Colby!" Susan said.

"Oook Oook Oook!"

The gorillas waved the torches with each Oook.

"We shall cleanse this city with our righteous wrath!" Susan said.

"Oook Oook!" A few jumped up and down.

"Cartel of Doom. We Come for You!"

"Oook!"

Caddie parked the box truck. Susan walked to the back, where two Gorillas waited in unpowered silence. She pushed the Pocky boxes off the computer.

"All systems green. Bananium levels are stable. Core at one hundred percent. AI boot up, starting now," Susan said.

"Oook."

"Yes, the final activation. We will keep number thirty eight up from now on," Susan said.

"Oook?"

"No…No. The world is not ready for this. But we alone have the necessary courage. We must move the world forward. And the Cartel will feel our wrath," Susan said.

One of the Gorilla's eyes glowed as it staggered out of the bay. It looked around. The metal skin gleamed bright and shiny. The gorillas took on a wire brushed look over time, but this one had a high polish.

"Chuff," Caddie said.

"I know. Everything needed is in the storage locker. Get thirty eight ready," Susan said.

"Oook."

Kevin Kid Gorilla Watson and Vincent The Dark Cape Nasato, were on a stakeout. Kevin, one of the beast folk, a simian-human, looked like an average human except for the oversized forearms and coarse black hair. His nose was flat, but that had been more of a boxing accident. Kevin wore a school tracksuit, and Vincent wore a gray suit and opera cloak. The two sat on the rooftop, board out of their minds. Almost as if Rudy was mad at them.

"How long will we be out here?" Kevin said.

"All night. Rudy left a carboy as a piss jug," Vincent said.

Kevin looked up at the dark clouds "Its going to rain.”

"Kev, we are living the dream of millions of boys' from around the world. We are heroes.”

"We're Rudy's bitches. What's a carboy?"

"A big jug," Vincent said.

Kevin paused for a moment. "Speaking of big jugs, is the full moon coming up?"

"Soon. I count the days," Vincent said.

Kevin looked down into the alley. "Going to howl all…Hold up—Vince, look at this," Kevin said as a van turned into the alley. They watched a man drag kids out of the vehicle. Another came out to push them into the building.

"Look at this," Kevin leaned over the edge.

"Stakeout's over," Vincent said. The rain started.

Kevin keyed his radio. "Stake out one. Patrol one.”

There was a click. "Patrol one go ahead," Rudy said.

"We have active trafficking. Six child-like figures in the dark."

"Copy. Stay on the stakeout unless there's bloodshed," Rudy said.

"Stay on the stakeout. Copy.”

Vincent pulled the cloak around him. "I hate this," Vincent said.

"Inaction?" Kevin said.

"Yeah, why can't Rudy let us go down and get those kids out now?"

"True enough," Kevin said. He felt something trigger a deep instinct. "Vince, someone's behind us."

Kevin and Vincent turned around to see a steel Gorilla, silent in the darkness. It leaped over the two boys to drop into the alley. They looked over the side. Was that a golf bag? Kevin thought.

"What's he doing?" Vincent said.

"Setting up golf balls," Kevin said.

"How are we going to call that in?"

"Dude, your girl's a werewolf. How is this weird?" Kevin said.

"Go down and talk to him," Vincent said as the Golfer pulled a steel driver from the bag. "Wait!” A golf ball slammed into the window with a crash of broken glass.

"What's he doing?" Kevin said.

As men came out of the building, they fell at the door way. Golf balls struck with accurate hard-driven shots.

"He got 'em," Vincent said.

The Golfer replaced the steel driver and pulled a pair of irons. One in each hand.

"He's going in?" Kevin said.

"That's bloodshed. Let's go," Vincent said. He keyed the radio. "Patrol one. We have an active third party. We’re going in.”

The radio clicked in return. "Copy Stakeout. I'll be there in six.”

Kevin and Vincent dropped down into the alley. The sounds of a brawl came from inside the building. Vincent stopped at the door to look in at the Golfer. It wore red pants, a Green polo shirt, golf shoes, and a Red flat cap. A golf club in each hand struck anyone that got near.

Rudy waited in the alley with Kevin and Vincent. The kids rescued from the traffickers walked to a van with the social workers. This Robot Gorilla screwed up a two-year investigation. As happy as Rudy was for returning the children, he needed to know where they were taken. And now this.

"Then he left?" Rudy said.

"Yeah," Vincent said.

"He looked like a robot," Kevin said.

Rudy rubbed his eyes. "A robot gorilla dressed in golf clothes?"

"Yeah," Vincent said with a smile.

Rudy dialed Susan's number. It went to voice mail. He pocketed the phone with a sigh. "Both of you keep your mouths shut about this.”

"You don't think?" Vincent said.

"The crazy girl with the monkey fetish?" Kevin said.

"Gorillas. Shes into Gorillas.” Vincent gave Kevin a elbow bump. “Kid Gorilla,"

"Enough. Both of you go back to the dorms. Stay out of this. I'm going to try and deal with it.”