Kevin still didn't catch on. He blinked. "What kind of movie are we talking about?"

  "The one you use to build up your Kirin arm… that kind," Skyler answered, cheeks burning.

  "Ohhh!" Kevin slapped his thigh, eyes blazing. "Come on, bro—I'm Kevin Wang! When have I ever been short of women? I don't hoard that stuff!"

  Skyler had no time for his show. He shot Kevin a withering look. "Quit stalling—I've got real work to do."

  Kevin glanced at Jason Han slumped in the chair, then pulled Skyler out of the underground garage and up into the living-room.

  "Don't talk about that in front of outsiders—I still have dignity!" Kevin muttered, embarrassed. "So… which actress do you want?"

  "Doesn't matter. Anything." Skyler waved it off.

  "Gotcha. Be right back." Kevin dashed away.

  Skyler sank onto the sofa, closed his eyes and let his thoughts line up.

  After mulling it over, he decided to call Officer Huang. The neighborhood fell under Huang's patrol; an excuse like "burglary attempt" would summon him without fuss.

  Just then Kevin barreled back with a laptop, planted himself solemnly beside Skyler, and—slightly abashed—whispered, "Okay… roll it?"

  "Roll what?" Skyler blinked.

  "The—uh—movie review!" Kevin grinned.

  Skyler face-palmed. "You misunderstood. It's not for me."

  Three minutes later, Skyler and Kevin returned to the basement garage.

  Jason wailed, "Sky—Kev— It wasn't me! I never meant to hurt you… my hand moved on its own! Don't kill me! I swear I'm not a Beast—I don't wanna die…"

  "Relax, Jason. We're not going to kill you," Skyler soothed.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  "If we wanted you dead you'd already be a corpse," Kevin snorted smugly.

  "Jason, you into guys or girls?" Skyler asked suddenly.

  "Huh?" Jason thought he'd misheard.

  "I said—guys or girls?" Skyler repeated.

  "Girls, obviously… why?" Jason stammered, utterly bewildered.

  "Great." Skyler opened the laptop and clicked on a random adult video, then glanced at Kevin. "Strip his pants."

  Kevin froze. "Huh?"

  "Just do it," Skyler barked, not bothering to explain.

  Kevin yanked off Jason's jeans, exposing a Pikachu-yellow pair of briefs, flabby thighs, and a forest of leg hair.

  Skyler angled the screen toward Jason. "Easy now—watch carefully."

  "Uh… okay…" Jason blushed, tense—yet after a few minutes, obvious physiological signs appeared.

  Throughout, Kevin's expression shifted from blank to a slowly widening smirk of derision.

  Sensing Kevin's contempt, Jason's male pride flared. He forgot his fear and blurted, "I—I'm off my game today! Normally I'm better than this!"

  "Oh re-al-ly — ?" Kevin drew out the words, oozing sarcasm.

  Bang! The garage door swung open—Officer Huang froze at the tableau.

  Well, that was a sight.

  Jason: tied to a chair, pantsless.

  Skyler: holding a laptop blaring X-rated audio.

  Kevin: arms folded, spectator stance.

  "A-hem… I'll come back later," Officer Huang muttered, tugged his cap, and gently shut the door.

  Ten minutes later, Skyler and Officer Huang were alone in the garage; Kevin had been sent away.

  Huang eyed the scene, expression complicated. "So that's Lynn's trick for telling a Beast from a human?"

  "Yeah," Skyler whispered. "Just… don't let Kevin catch on."

  "Understood."

  Skyler glanced at the still-bound Jason. "And don't take Kevin's trash-talk to heart, Jason."

  "No worries! I'm the better man—uh, human," Jason huffed, still stung.

  "Only soda and beer down here!"

  Kevin's shout preceded him as he trotted back in, arms full of drinks.

  Huang cracked open a cola and held it to Jason's lips.

  Parched, Jason craned his neck, gulping noisily.

  Dragging a chair over, Huang sat like an interrogator. "All right—slow and steady. Tell us everything you remember."

  "Okay, okay…" Jason wetted his lips and began. "You know my motel burned down—Aunt He died, I got hurt… A few nights later I was sleeping and this weird sound woke me up…"

  "What kind of sound?"

  "Cat-like meowing. I stepped onto the balcony and saw a white cat—looked like a rag-doll breed, only smaller, big green eyes, ears straight up."

  Huang nodded for him to go on.

  "It wouldn't let me pet it—suddenly bit my finger. Hurt like hell, I blacked out. Then I dreamed I was crushed in a subway car—hands groping me everywhere… When I woke, Sky and Kev were over me."

  Huang's face darkened as Jason finished.

  He gave Jason another sip of cola, then stepped back and drew his pistol. "Jason… I'm sorry."

  "No—don't shoot! I really am human, I swear!" Jason screamed in despair.

  "Officer Huang," Skyler cut in, heart sinking, "maybe we should monitor him first—"

  Bang! Huang pulled the trigger.