FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The headlights of passing automobiles threw his shadow against the red brick wall, the dark form growing and shrinking as the vehicles drove by. His footfalls deliberate and measured, he kept his stride despite the growing number of puddles that dotted his path, their size growing with each passing minute. _ The forecast had called for a thick marine layer, not this shit,_ he thought to himself, his left hand keeping the front of his coat closed amid the brisk breeze. Worse yet, I have no idea when it will ease up.

Spotting an awning, he ducked underneath it, taking the opportunity to shake loose the water that had accumulated on the heavy, silver brocade fabric of his greatcoat. From his dry refuge, he looked out onto the busy downtown street, his steel-colored eyes watching the groups of people that ducked into the various restaurants and bars opposite his shelter. Despite the temptation to keep moving, he thought it best to see if the rain would abate in the next few minutes and took the opportunity to dry off a bit.

Pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, he selected one of the remaining sticks with the intention of satisfying his growing urge. With a practiced motion, he lit the end with his antique lighter, the sweet taste of the tobacco releasing a deep sigh from within as he blew a steady stream of smoke from his nostrils. These things will be the death of me, he mused.

After a few drags, he pulled out his smartphone and began flicking through a series of news reports, looking for anything of interest to help pass the time while he waiting for the downpour to lessen. Casually wiping away a few drops of water that had begun to inch their way down the side of his face, he felt a few loose strands of hair and pulled them back behind one of his triangular-shaped ears. A genetic trait of being an Ofxuri, his canine-like ears were covered in short white fur, protruding like icebergs from a sea of salt and pepper hair. A trio of small silver earrings adorned each ear, the metal hoops clinking together as his ears twitched this way and that to the various sounds the city had to offer.

The rain began to taper off and was soon replaced by a slow drizzle, the cloudburst apparently having moved farther inland. As if on cue, his phone rang. "Yes?"

A no-nonsense female voice responded immediately. "Are you in a secure location?"

Failing to see any security cameras or people in his vicinity, he pulled the cigarette from his mouth. "Secure enough. What can I do for you, Director?"

"We're transmitting a secure databurst to your phone. In it is the latest intel we have on the Runner. Your mission details are within."

"Understood."

"Be advised, latest information indicates that a Xu is with him," the director warned. "Proceed with caution."

"Thank you, ma'am," he said. "Anything else?"

"No. Good luck, Agent Harper."

Unceremoniously, the call ended. Cigarette firmly between his lips once more, he swiped over to the appropriate application on his phone and initialized it with a quick tap. Within a matter of seconds, the message had been downloaded, decrypted, and made viewable to him.

Given Name: Unknown

Alias: LineCutter

Age: Unknown

Height: 5' 11"

Hair Color: Brown

Eye Color: Green

Gender: Male

Species: Fenilee

Speciality: Realm Running, Technology, Software

Wanted For: Cyber Terrorism, Treason

Threat Level: High

Last Seen: Eden Hotel. City of Queven, Ighistol Province, Zoach

Mission: Capture if possible, terminate if necessary. Force authorized.

Special Note: Suspect has last been seen with a Xu, caution is advised. No intel available on 2nd party.

Several seconds after reading the message through, the text of the message became scrambled, the contents soon completely unrecognizable. Closing the dispatch, he knew it was pointless to look at it further as it had effectively become digital garbage. The high-tech equivalent of a self-destructing tape recording, he could have never guessed as a young kit that the fictional spy novels he grew up reading would have so many similarities to the real world.

Slipping the phone back into his pocket, Harper looked at the street sign and nodded. He was on 11th street and if memory served, that effectively put him just a few blocks from the Eden Hotel, which was on 5th. Taking one last drag on his cigarette, he dropped it to the ground and crushed it with his footpaw before stepping back out onto the sidewalk. Hands in his coat pockets, he was thankful that the rain had nearly stopped and the breeze had subsided. With any luck, he would be back home before dawn.