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As a note to the reader, while characters in this story are over eighteen, the narrative contains descriptions of bondage, anal and oral sex, and body modification. If any of these acts offend you or are illegal to read where you reside, please move on. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Chapter 7: The Escape
Several days later, Dave's eyes snapped open, his vision blurry and senses reeling. The acrid scent of chemicals burned his nostrils as a primal rage coursed through his veins. He had been given another treatment.
"What the... where am I?" he growled, muscles tensing as he became aware of the cold metal bars pressing against his skin.
His body was still in its hulking bear-canine-human form, but his mind was slipping. He could not focus on anything except an overwhelming urge to break free. Rage was building throughout his body. His muzzle snarled as spit dripped down his beard.
Dave threw himself against the cage, rattling the bars.
"Let me out!" he roared, voice deeper and more guttural than usual.
Jeff and Jake were back in separate cages and were startled. They began to fear for their friend. He had gradually become more animal than man. While observing at his table, Doctor West spoke clinically as he wrote in his notebook.
"Fascinating. In an experiment to remove the influence of the brain's frontal lobe, a double dose of XHD874 has been injected. Subject Three's aggression levels have since increased exponentially."
Dave's nostrils flared as he caught the scientist's scent. A red mist descended over his vision as animal instinct took control.
"I'll show you aggression," Dave shouted, biceps bulging as he gripped the bars.
With a bestial roar that shook the lab, Dave's muscles swelled and rippled. The metal groaned under the assault.
"Impossible," West shouted as he turned.
His widened behind his glasses.
Dave felt a surge of raw power unlike anything he'd experienced, even on the football field. His body burned with newfound strength as the cage buckled.
"Oh yeah!" Dave grunted. "It's game time!"
With a final mighty heave, the metal bars snapped like twigs. Shards flew in all directions as Dave burst free in an explosion of twisted debris. He stood on his stubby legs, panting, chest heaving, mind reeling from the sensory overload. But one thing was crystal clear - he was free, and nothing would cage him again.
The lab erupted into chaos as Dave's massive form barreled through the space. Beakers shattered, sending shards of glass skittering across the floor. Papers whirled through the air like confetti, years of meticulous research scattered instantly.
"Holy shit!" Jeff exclaimed, pressing against the bars of his own cage.
His heart raced as he watched Dave's rampage, a mix of awe and terror coursing through him. Doctor West's usually calm demeanor cracked as he scrambled backward, knocking over a chair in his haste.
"Contain yourself!" he shouted, voice cracking with panic. "This is highly irregular behavior!"
Dave's head snapped towards the scientist. A low growl rumbled from his chest as he advanced, muscles rippling beneath his skin.
"Irregular?" Dave snarled his voice, a guttural approximation of his usual jock swagger. "I'll show you irregular, you twisted freak!"
He lunged forward, massive arms sweeping across a lab bench. Equipment went flying, crashing against Jeff and Jake's cages. The impact shook the bolts loose, and the cage doors swung open. Jeff didn't hesitate. He grabbed Jake's arm, pulling him out of the cage.
"Move!" he urged, his farm-boy strength evident as he hauled Jake to his feet.
Jake stumbled, disoriented.
"What's happening?" he gasped, clinging to Jeff.
"No time," Jeff panted, eyes darting between Dave's hulking form and the cowering West.
"We gotta go. Now!"
Adrenaline surged through Jeff's veins as he half-dragged and half-carried Jake toward the exit. Behind them, Dave roared again, the sound of more destruction filling the air.
"Think he'll be okay?" Jake asked, glancing back.
Jeff swallowed hard, torn between concern for Dave and the urgent need to escape.
"I hope so," he muttered. "But right now, we need to save ourselves."
Jeff's grip tightened on Jake's arm as they burst through the lab doors and down a hall into the cool night air. His heart raced, every instinct screaming to protect Jake beside him. They attempted to stand upright but soon came down on their front limbs, finding it less awkward.
"AHHH!" came Dave's voice as he shot through a window beside them.
His beast form rolled forward, the momentum sending him slamming into a tree. He picked himself up, shook his head, and, without a second thought, dropped to his four limbs and bounded into the forest beyond.
"Stay close," Jeff murmured, eyes scanning the tree line. "We need to find Dave before he hurts himself... or someone else."
Jake nodded, pressing against Jeff's side.
"I'm scared," he whispered, his voice trembling.
Jeff turned, holding Jake's face in his paw.
"Hey, look at me. I won't let anything happen to you."
Their eyes locked, a moment of tenderness amidst the chaos. Jeff's muzzle brushed Jake's cheek, a gesture both comforting and electric. He licked Jake's face and smiled.
"Okay," Jake breathed, steadying himself. "Let's go."
They plunged into the forest, leaves crunching beneath their paws. Jeff led the way, his farm-honed senses on high alert. The scent of pine and damp earth filled his muzzle, mingling with something... different... something musky... something primal.
"You smell that?" Jeff asked, pausing to sniff the air.
Jake pressed closer, his breath hot on Jeff's neck.
"Yeah... it's like... Dave, but... more."
A distant roar echoed through the trees, sending a shiver down Jeff's spine.
"This way," he urged Jake along.
They pushed through dense underbrush, branches thrashing against their hairy hides. Jeff's mind raced, torn between exhilaration and fear. What had Dr. West done to them?
"Jeff," Jake panted, stumbling over a root. "I feel... strange. Like my skin's too tight."
Jeff steadied Jake and put his head against the younger beast's chest. He could feel the heat radiating from Jake's body and see the faint shimmer of sweat on his brow.
"Me too," Jeff admitted, his voice low and husky.
"But we can't stop now. Dave needs us."
They bounded on, the forest alive with night sounds and their hearts pounding.
Doctor West stood amidst the wreckage of his lab, his cold gray eyes surveying the destruction with clinical detachment. Shattered glass crunched beneath his feet as he moved methodically through the chaos, his mind already formulating contingencies.
"Fascinating," he murmured, fingering a bent cage door. "The hormonal surge must have triggered an unprecedented increase in muscle density."
West's gaze fell on his workstation, miraculously untouched. A thin smile curved his lips.
"At least something's gone right."
He strode to the desk, fingers dancing over scattered papers.
"Where are you, my precious data?" he muttered, rifling through stacks of notes.
As he worked, West's thoughts raced. How to salvage this situation? The subjects' escape was... inconvenient but not disastrous. Their transformations progressed faster than anticipated – a setback, yes, but also a thrilling new avenue of study.
"Ah, here we are," West purred, pulling out a thick folder.
He flipped it open, eyes gleaming at columns of incomprehensible figures.
"The genome sequencing... mustn't lose this."
A distant howl echoed through the lab. West paused, head cocked.
"Hmm. Subject One seems to be adapting well to his enhanced vocal cords."
He returned to his task, methodically sorting through papers and vials. Each item was scrutinized, and its value weighed against the need for a swift departure.
"The hormonal compound... yes, crucial," West muttered, tucking a small vial into his pocket. "Tissue samples. The blood work... now that's irreplaceable."
As he worked, West's mind churned with possibilities. The subjects' escape wasn't ideal, but perhaps observing their behavior in a natural environment could yield fascinating data. It was a whole new experiment phase, unplanned but potentially groundbreaking.
"Always an opportunity," he chuckled darkly, zipping up his briefcase. "Even in chaos."
West's cold eyes swept across the devastated lab one final time. A thin smile crossed his lips as he reached for a container of accelerant.
"Time to tie up loose ends," he murmured, voice tinged with scientific detachment.
He doused key areas of the lab with methodical precision, the pungent chemical scent filling the air. Pausing at his workstation, he flicked open a silver lighter.
"For science," he intoned, touching the flame to a stack of papers.
Fire erupted instantly, hungry tongues of orange and red devouring years of research. The heat intensified rapidly, warping metal and shattering glass. West watched impassively as flames consumed cages, equipment, and the last traces of his unethical experiments.
"Fascinating," he mused, observing the fire's progression with clinical interest. "The speed of destruction... perhaps there's a paper in that."
Miles away, Jeff and Jake stumbled to a halt in a moonlit clearing. Their chests heaved, bodies glistening with a sheen of sweat that accentuated their newly enhanced musculature. Jeff's nostrils flared, catching an acrid scent on the breeze.
"Jake," he panted. "You smell that?"
Jake nodded, eyes wide.
"Smoke. And... something else. Chemicals?"
They turned as one, gazing back the way they'd come. A faint orange glow tainted the horizon, pulsing like a malevolent heartbeat.
"The lab," Jeff whispered, a mix of relief and unease coloring his voice. "It's gone."
Jake pressed against him, seeking comfort in Jeff's solid warmth.
"What does this mean for us?" he asked, trembling slightly.
Jeff nuzzled Jake.
"I don't know," he admitted, licking Jake's neck."
They watched silently as the distant flames consumed their past, illuminating an uncertain future.
West bounded through the forest on his four-wheeler. His briefcase was securely in a compartment beside him. The acrid smell of smoke still clung to his clothes, a reminder of the inferno he'd left behind.
"A temporary setback," he muttered as he drove into the night. "I still have my main lab. And the data I have collected... the data is invaluable."
His fingers caressed the worn top of the compartment, a feverish gleam in his eyes. Inside lay the fruits of his labor – notes detailing the transformation process, genetic sequences, and formulas that promised to revolutionize human evolution.
"They thought they could stop me," West chuckled darkly. "Fools. This is just the beginning."
Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Jeff and Jake paused to catch their breath. The moonlight filtered through the canopy, casting dappled shadows across their sweat-slicked fur.
Jeff turned to Jake, concern etched on his face.
"You okay?"
Jake nodded, leaning against a tree.
"Yeah, just... processing. What do we do now?"
Jeff's paw found Jake's, their pads intertwining.
"We find Dave," he said firmly. "He's out there – confused and alone. We need to help him."
Jake squeezed Jeff's paw, drawing strength from the contact.
"And then what? We can't exactly return to our normal lives, can we?"
Jeff pulled Jake close, their bodies fitting together perfectly.
"No," he admitted, "but we have each other."
Jake's breath hitched as Jeff's lips brushed his neck.
"Promise?"
"I promise," Jeff murmured, his voice husky with emotion and desire. "You, me, Dave – we're in this together now."
They stood there, limbs entangled, the forest alive with night sounds. Despite the uncertainty that lay ahead, in that moment, they found solace in each other's arms. Jeff's paw trailed down Jake's spine, eliciting a shiver. Their eyes met, conveying a mix of desire and trepidation.
"I can still feel it," Jake whispered, his voice husky. "The changes. It's like... fire under my skin."
Jeff nodded, pupils dilating.
"Me too. The adrenaline rush. It's... intense."
Their lips crashed together, urgent, and hungry. Jake moaned softly as Jeff's tongue explored his mouth, tasting something primal.
Pulling back, breathless, Jake panted, "What if we can't control it? What if we become like Dave?"
Jeff cupped Jake's face, his touch gentle despite the growing claws.
"We won't let that happen."
A distant growl pierced the night, sending a jolt through both beasts. Their bodies tensed, and their senses suddenly hyper-aware.
"Dave," Jeff breathed, nostrils flaring. "He's close."
Jake's heart raced, a mix of fear and exhilaration. As they moved deeper into the forest, their steps became more fluid, more animal. The moonlight caught the sheen of their fur. They shared one last look, a promise unspoken between them, before disappearing into the shadows of the unknown.
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As with my other stories on Nifty, I accept and love to get constructive feedback and criticism from my readers. You can contact me at slavebear1976@gmail.com